Environmental agreement ends Apex Alpine blockade

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Three bands have ratified an agreement with the provincial government ensuring environmental studies be done in the Okanagan region before further development is undertaken.

The initial agreement with the Penticton and Upper and Lower Similkameen bands comes on the heels of a month-long selective blockade of roads leading to the Apex alpine ski resort. The company had announced a $20-millionn expansion of the resort which the bands said would have devastating effects on the area's watershed.

Band members gave their unanimous support to the initial agreement at meetings held in their communities the first week of December, said Penticton band council member Stewart Phillip.

"People saw they need to place their trust in this kind of agreement," he said. "We've achieved a great deal with this agreement."

Previous attempts at negotiating with the company and the B.C. government to have environmental assessments completed were not dealt with to the band's satisfaction.

In November, the bands set up check points on the three roads leading up to the mountain, turning back construction workers and equipment, but allowing tourists and regular employees to pass.

Under the agreement, signed Dec. 14 by band leaders and provincial ministers, environmental impact assessments will be conducted in the area encompassing seven mountain peaks and their watersheds.

As well, Apex agreed not to start any new construction between Dec. 15 and April 15, 1995.

The new relationship provides great opportunities to work through issues as opposed to setting up check points, Phillip said.

"At least now we have a mechanism to deal with these issues in a formal and orderly manner instead of forming picket lines.

"Now we have a legal, binding agreement that covers development, and it covers a very large area, so we got more than we asked for."