Mayor Andrew Black
Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black says the provincial environment minister has rejected his request for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the proposed 500 MW gas/diesel generating plant on the Chignecto Isthmus.
During today’s town council meeting, Black said he had received a letter from Gilles LePage saying the province would conduct a less detailed, “deterministic” EIA instead.
He added the minister’s letter explained that a comprehensive EIA is used only for specific projects.
“The way that the regulation is written out is that the comprehensive EIA is only used for, you know, 0.01% of projects that would then trigger it,” Black explained during the public question period.
“And where they felt that this project didn’t fall in line with one of those projects that would trigger that, that it would be a deterministic EIA which is what is happening,” the mayor added.
He reported that Premier Holt had assured him during a phone call on August 19th that the proposed gas plant would go through proper provincial assessments.
Black said that Fort Folly Chief Rebecca Knockwood had forwarded a news release from Mi’gmag Chiefs opposing the gas plant project.
He also reported that e-mails he was receiving from Tantramar constituents and environmental groups were overwhelmingly opposed to the project citing a variety of concerns.
“So you know, water levels and gas emissions and light pollution and noise pollution and those kinds of concerns,” he said.
Those “strongly worded letters” are not working too well. Public awareness is minimal – and public outrage demonstrated in a meaningful way would have a wider and stronger impact instead of a “strongly worded letter “
Its an energy generation plant folks. There is – right in the centre of Sackville – a plant with the giant smoke stack on the campus that’s at the entrance the Waterfowl Park next to the Drew Care Home that’s owned and operated by Mount Allison University and fuelled by a very large tank of gas for fuel. Energy is needed for powering our electric cars and other things in our society. PROENERGY is creating a big project that will be productive and will provide reliable, efficient and a locally produced source of energy. The “anti oil and gas” opponents are typical NIMBY’s with minimal interest in being energy educated or even reasonable. Perhaps the answer is going to be partnering with Fort Folly and putting the energy project on the old CBC radio towers location away from homeowners [that’s land that’s now owned by the “natives”].
Concerning the vote against the motion to urge cancellation of the project:
The motion was to request and urge cancellation, to show the will of a community that will certainly be affected in negative as well as positive ways. Your community has been misled by members of your Council to submit to an illegal contract under United Nation and Canadian law, which does not have Indigenous nor local support, nor adequate consultation. There has been misreprepresentation, which you are agreeing to let go unchallenged and in fact, rewarded. You do not have time to wait before you begin a meaningful registration of your constituents’ and surrounding First Nations’ objections. People who object are your friends, neighbours and partners. This is a step backwards in reconciliation and a poor effort at sounding out what your consituents want for their future.
Small town councils are often taken advantage of by large polluting industries because they hesitate out of inexperience and the impulse to accept money in exchange for clean air and water. The rest of the world is watching and shaking their heads at Canada’s insistence on fossil fuels and disregard of First Nations.