Pop Singer Jewel Gives Star Power to Energy Project
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WORK, MONEY AND ENTERPRISE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA Portland General Electric CEO Peggy Fowler tours a power plant near Clatskanie, Ore. The city of Portland is considering a bid for Enron’s biggest utility company. World Briefs, C6 / STEVEN NEHL, BLOOMBERG SECTION C BUSINESSBC CORPORATE PSYCHOPATHS C3 B.C. WAGES DON’T MEASURE UP C4 EDITOR STEWART MUIR 604-605-2520 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2002 • E-mail [email protected] FAME NOT SO FLEETING Softwood: U.S. wants radical change Most timber is tied up in long- petitive market looks like. I know FORESTRY I America’s lumber lobby wants more than 50 per cent term tenures held by forest com- what has been in previous U.S. panies. They pay a stumpage rate government proposals. of B.C. timber to be ‘sold competitively,’ Gordon Hamilton writes determined by the government. “I think there is a great deal of The U.S. proposal, floated ten- flexibility on what the compo- ritish Columbia can’t domestic log sales and reform of tatively at informal talks this week nents of an open and competitive expect to make a soft- the timber tenures held by major with B.C. officials, is being viewed market can be. But I would be wood deal with the logging companies are all still on here as a way to circumvent the surprised if the U.S. government B American government the table as far as the U.S. indus- U.S. lobby. The American indus- proposed anything that was not a without undertaking radical try is concerned, said John Ragos- try sees it as a way to deal with robust and competitive market. changes in they way public- ta, legal counsel for the Coalition Canada’s provinces one-by-one. “You are going to have to have He told us that one day everybody owned timber is sold, an Ameri- for Fair Lumber Imports. It is not likely to depart too far over 50 per cent of the timber would be famous for 15 minutes, can lumber industry lobbyist said Currently, B.C. restricts log from the American industry agen- sold competitively,” Ragosta said. but did he know his own fame Wednesday. exports and sells only six per cent da, Ragosta said. “How do I know? would still be a big draw 15 years Log exports, an open market for of public timber competitively. I know what an open and com- See U.S MUST C4 after his death? The Andy Warhol Retrospective, which ended a 12- week run at the Museum of Con- temporary Art earlier this month, boosted Los Angeles’ economy by $55.8 million US, city officials said. Warhol died in 1987. Pop singer Jewel CNE TOPS OPRAH Canadian Internet surfers seemed to be fascinated by enter- gives star power tainers, fairs and diseases this week. Here’s the Sympatico.ca Top 10 list for the week ending August 25: to energy project 1. Canadian National Exhibition 2. Oprah 3. Elton John ENTERPRISE I Firm enlists singer to help bring 4. Hepatitis A 5. Futons a northern ghost town’s dormant hydro 6. Victoria’s Secret 7. Lisa Marie Presley dam back to life, Derrick Penner writes 8. Michael Jackson 9. Toronto Film Festival 10. Water Parks First in a series ANYOX bout 160 kilometres BATHROOM BREAKS up Observatory Employees at the Jim Beam Inlet from Prince bourbon distillery in Clermont, Ky., A Rupert, the emer- are getting sour over restrictions on ald-thatched hillsides rise bathroom breaks. Workers on the steeply into thick clouds and bottling line are limited to four the rain is relentless, even in 1 August. the utility under its green and breaks per 8 ⁄2 hour shift, only one of which can be unscheduled. Extra “There’s no shortage of alternative energy program. trips to the bathroom can result in water,” proclaims Jeff Wolrige, Hydro aims to meet 10 per reprimands. Workers with six viola- a glint in his eye. cent of all new demand for tions can be fired. His company, Anyox Hydro- electricity with environmen- electric Ltd., recently signed tally sensitive power. folk-pop chanteuse Jewel on “We can’t keep up with run- as a partner in its bid to wring away consumption,” Wolrige PETER LEGGE’S a buzzing stream of electrici- said, noting that outside of BUSINESS TIPS ty out of that rain and send it B.C. much of the electricity # 36 Maintain balance in your life. south, where there is an insa- consumed is produced by You don’t want to be so rich that tiable demand for it. burning non-renewable fossil nobody will live with you. Equally, The company owns a dor- fuels. it’s hard to enjoy a great family life mant hydro dam at the town- “We need sustainable alter- if you’re always worrying about site that is its namesake and natives and that’s where there where the rent money will come plans to submit a bid to B.C. are a lot of opportunities in from. Balance between family and Hydro in October to sell elec- the Northwest.” work is the key. tricity from the old facility to Brenda Goehring, manager of green and renewable ener- Peter Legge is the chairman of the Vancouver gy for B.C. Hydro, said the util- Board of Trade ity will accept proposals for new projects in October. It B.C. SNAPSHOT wants to purchase up to 800 gigawatt hours of power, Reining inflation enough to supply about B.C's economic growth might be 80,000 homes. lagging behind the mighty engines of From behind the wheel of industry in Alberta and Ontario, but British Columbians can take heart in the company’s crew boat, My one thing: their cost of living isn't Lady, John Turpin suggests to climbing as quickly as it is in those guests that it doesn’t always provinces either. rain here. Percentage growth in consumer “It’s too bad it’s not a little price index between July 2001 bit clearer, guys,” said the and July 2002: chief of operations for Anyox 4 % Hydroelectric. “This is one of 3 % the most beautiful stretches of 2 % REUTERS FILES water in the world, when you can see it.” 1 % STUART DAVIS/VANCOUVER SUN Pop star Jewel has an B.C. Alta Ont. Que. N.B. N.S. See PROPOSED POWER C5 0 Jeff Wolrige (left) and John Turpin are hoping to turn Anyox Creek into power source. interest in power project. Source: Statistics Canada Regency Lexus 1778 Burrard at 2nd Ave., (604) 739-1212 Vancouver, B.C. Oh Yeah! It's a Lexus. www.regencyauto.com Jim Pattison Lexus Northshore Auto Mall When engineers at Lexus conceived their vision of a pure (604) 982-0033 North Vancouver, B.C. performance sports sedan, they didn't compromise in 1-888-JPLEXUS www.jimpattisonlexus.com pursuing their goal of perfection. And nor should you. Stop in and test drive a Lexus today. Richmond Lexus Richmond Automall (604) 273-5533 Richmond, B.C. THE 2002 LEXUS IS 300 www.richmondlexus.com –priced from $37,820 The Relentless Pursuit Of Perfection BUSINESS THE VANCOUVER SUN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2002 C5 Photos by STUART DAVIS/VANCOUVER SUN John Turpin walks through abandoned Anyox power generating plant. Turpin and partner Jeff Wolrige are electricity entrepreneurs, whose interest was sparked by California energy crisis. A scene from Proposed power projects ‘The Land That Time Forgot’ include old Kitsault site The only residents of Anyox today are bears and True Grit employees From C1 ference and we’re putting our own development and management and resources behind it.” owns Southview Property Manage- Beyond the business prospects of the Wolrige expects it to cost $1.5 mil- Jewel, who is busy touring, is ment. Turpin, who now lives in Vic- Anyox project, it tickles the sense of lion to $2 million per-megawatt of aware of the project’s concept, Car- toria, is an ICBC claim centre man- adventure of both Jeff Wolrige and John generating capacity to build the roll said. She added that while the ager. Turpin. They are friends dating back to development, roughly $39 million to company would have become They have had contact with a half- their rugby-playing days at Point Grey something over $60 million to gener- involved no matter where the project dozen potential investors over the high school in the 1970s. ate between 26 and 40 megawatts of was located, Anyox feels a bit homey last couple of years and Wolrige said “Sometimes I feel like we’re in that electricity. for the Alaska-born Jewel. every one has helped them advance movie, The Land That Time Forgot,” Wol- Anyox itself, the site of a copper “Jewel does like that it’s in the the project by pointing out missing rige quipped. mine smelter from 1900 until 1935, had north,” Carroll said. “She has a kin- bits of information or weak spots in The forests of Observatory Inlet a population of 2,500 at its height. A ship [with the region].” their presentation. appear un-logged, but have not escaped concrete dam holds back a reservoir She said her daughter’s involve- the scars of industry. Bony spikes of dead that is slightly bigger than the Capi- ment doesn’t really affect the busi- trees poke out of the green of new forest, lano reservoir but not quite as large ness aspect of the project. When it Anyox evidence of Anyox’s presence. Locals call as the Seymour. comes to raising capital, a celebrity them “smelter kill,” victims of noxious Anyox Creek, which the company endorsement doesn’t necessarily Alaska smelter gases that spewed out of the cop- Canal Nass River believes to be fish-barren, tumbles a help.