Protestor gather at Calpine headquarters to protest Medicine Lake power plant

By Jeremy Lipps, Bay City News Service

January 30, 2007

SAN JOSE (BCN) - Native American and environmental protesters gathered Monday to rally and march to the headquarters of Calpine to protest possible legal action that could lead to the construction of a geothermal power plant near Sacred Medicine Lake, which is located northeast of Mt. Shasta.

A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Calpine could not build the plant near the Sacred Medicine Lake, overturning a lower court's decision, according to Radley Davis of the Pit River Tribe.

"Sacred Medicine Lake holds tremendous spiritual and healing power for local native populations,'' Davis said.

The protest was to both remind Calpine that Native American groups remain in the area of Sacred Medicine Lake and will peacefully resist any further action to appeal the court's decision, Davis said.

"It's not over until Calpine ceases and desists,'' Davis said.

The group gathered at Plaza de Ceasar Chavez Park in San Jose and marched to Calpine's San Jose headquarters at 50 East San Fernando St. at noon Monday to continue their protest.

Sacred Medicine Lake is believed by Davis and many members of the Pit River Tribe to have both medicinal and spiritually healing powers bestowed by "The Creator,'' Davis said.

"I still take my boys up there to drink the water -- to become men,'' Davis said. "There are spiritual properties left by 'The Creator'.''

The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management jointly own the land, Davis reported.

According to Calpine spokeswoman Katherine Potter, Calpine believes it can develop the area of Medicine Lake and nearby Glass Mountain for geothermal power without impacting the spiritual practices of the various Native American groups in the area.

Calpine is "addressing legal challenges,'' and "discussing options with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management,'' Potter said.

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