Debating the Course of Chile’s Rivers (Damming Patagonia)

[gulfcoastliberal]

COYHAIQUE, Chile — With Chile trying to manage both Latin America’s most dynamic economy and a looming energy squeeze, the government has embraced a plan to build a series of dams here in the rugged, pristine heart of Patagonia that would flood thousands of acres.

The plan, proposed by a Spanish-owned electricity company, would harness the rushing rivers of the sparsely populated region known as Aisén, which is dotted with national parks and nature reserves. But environmental groups have condemned the proposal, which they say will damage ranching and tourism. They have mounted an international campaign to block construction.

“There are so few places on earth with the qualities of the Patagonia region of Chile that it’s really criminal to try to foist this kind of project on the Chilean people in the name of avoiding impending blackouts and all that sort of thing,” said Glenn Switkes, Latin American coordinator for the International Rivers Network. “This is going to be a long battle, in the trenches, using every legal and political tactic possible.”

snip towards end

When the state-owned power company was privatized at the end of the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, in the late 1980’s, on terms that have been criticized as a giveaway to military cronies, those rights were transferred from the government to private stockholders.

http://tinyurl.com/kepcm


Guess we must apply that reverse Midas touch to every last corner of the globe.
Everything must go!

:puke:

[DRoseDARs]

1. *cough* Solar *cough* Wind *cough* Geothermal *cough*

eom

[Massacure]

2. Geothermal is a very important resource.

It should be given priority over solar and wind because it is much more reliable.