by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 18/97) - The future of a proposal to establish a series of hydro electric dams between Mackay Lake and Great Slave Lake remains a mystery.

Public protests from the president of Glacier Bay Power have failed to convince the NWT Water Board to reconsider its rejection of a water licence for the project.

"The board sent the applications back because they were, in essence, a paper exercise," said Dave Milburn, an alternate technical adviser for the board.

Glacier Power owner Doug Main said the board should have accepted the application and allowed time for it to be brought up to snuff. Main said the outright rejection cost him a place in the lineup of applications before the board, and opened the door to others who might want to profit from his ideas.

Milburn said Main's concerns are largely unfounded.

"He still has some sort of precedence, though I suspect two lawyers will sit down and debate the fine points of the act."

Milburn added board requirements would apply to anyone applying for the same permits.

"It would take them just as long as it would take him to do it."