Edmonton, Alberta — On Monday, June 10th, Dr. Mary Griffiths of the Pembina Institute will appear before the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board representing the Clean Air Coalition. The public hearing will establish principles for congestion management on transmission lines in Alberta. The Clean Energy Coalition is intervening in these hearings requesting the Board to consider the environmental implications of different congestion management options by examining the direct and indirect environmental impacts associated with transmission infrastructure decisions and costs for end-consumers.
The statement includes recommendations regarding:
- Lowest costs and fairness through a market-based system;
- Market signals for new generators and the trading of transmission rights;
- A level playing field with respect to environmental impacts; and,
- A market-based system to encourage energy-efficiency measures.
After an early career as an academic, Mary Griffiths became an advocate for the protection of the environment, both in her employment and her volunteer activities. As a research analyst for the Liberal Caucus at the Alberta Legislature, she was responsible for environmental issues for over 10 years. For the last two years she has been an environmental policy analyst at the Pembina Institute, focusing on energy issues. In 2001 she was an expert witness for the Clean Energy Coalition at two Alberta Energy and Utility Board hearings into applications for new coal-fired power plants.
A copy of Dr. Griffiths' opening statement is available at www.pembina.org. This provides a summary of the Clean Energy Coalition's recommendations to the Board.
The Clean Energy Coalition includes the Environmental Resource Centre, Toxics Watch Society of Alberta and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, in addition to the Pembina Institute.
For more information contact:
Mary Griffiths: 780-433-6675 or 780-915-9771 (cell)
Tom Marr-Laing: 780-542-6464 or 780-621-2472 (cell)