A grim-faced Juliette Bulmer talks to reporters after last night’s meeting

Opponents of the big, gas/diesel generating plant that NB Power wants built on the Chignecto Isthmus seemed shocked Tuesday night after Tantramar Town Council voted against calling for the immediate cancellation of the project.

Midgic resident Juliette Bulmer told reporters that there seemed to be good support for the town opposing the project as Councillors Michael Tower, Bruce Phinney, Allison Butcher and Josh Goguen spoke out against it.

“And then all of a sudden it took a wrong turn,” she said, “and unfortunately, the majority ruled to support Mayor Black.”

During the meeting, Black moved a motion to delay the vote until the next regular council meeting on October 14th and when his motion was defeated, he argued that opposing the project was outside council’s jurisdiction.

“I hate to say it, but that’s not right,” Bulmer said, “because a lot of this will affect the health of community members.”

She referred to Councillor Tower’s statement during the meeting that when he wanted council to speak out against the threatened closure of Sackville’s hospital, he was told that was outside its mandate.

“If health isn’t part of the mandate of this municipality, then there’s a problem,” Tower said.

Bulmer agrees.

“What the hell is going to happen when this plant releases its toxic pollution, contaminates the water, emits greenhouse gases way above anything that should be and is acceptable?” she asked.

“What about the health of the community then?”

Councillor Martin explains his vote

Greg Martin, the only councillor who did not speak during the meeting, told reporters afterwards that he was following his mother’s advice to learn by listening to others.

He also explained why he voted against Councillor Tower’s motion to send a letter to Premier Holt with copies to other officials urging the immediate cancellation of the gas plant project.

“The reason why I voted against sending the letter is because I don’t know enough about the project,” he said.

He added that he wasn’t able to attend any meetings which would have included the two open houses that the American company PROENERGY held in Sackville during August.

“I don’t want to make a long statement,” Martin said, “about something that I don’t really  know a whole lot about.”

Coalition to protect Chignecto Isthmus

AWI Executive Director Barry Rothfuss talking to CBC reporter Erica Butler after last night’s council meeting

Barry Rothfuss, executive director of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, said council’s lack of support for protecting the sensitive environment on the Isthmus is disheartening.

“We found out today that they’ve got the permits to start drilling wells to do the water testing which is the beginning of damaging the ecosystem,” he said, adding that he’s also heard that PROENERGY will start building a new access road next week into the 50-acre gas plant site.

“At the same time, we’ve got a premier telling us publicly that she’s concerned and taking our concerns to heart and telling us there’s a lot of questions that need to be answered,” Rothfuss said.

“She’s doing nothing to slow down the process and making it so that the questions that she potentially claims she’s asking are going to be answered after the fact and the damage will already be done.”

Rothfuss is co-ordinating a coalition of more than 15 groups to defend the Chignecto Isthmus.

He says the combined knowledge in the coalition will be used to inform decision makers at every level including the municipal one.

“Let’s bring it to them, bring it wholeheartedly to them with the voices of the people that have that expertise,” he says.

To read today’s news release announcing formation of the coalition, click here.

For coverage of the strategy meeting that led to its formation, click here.

To read a transcript of the town council debate, click here.

For CBC coverage, click here.