From Janet M Eaton, PhD, Sierra Club of Canada
International Liaison,
Sierra Club Corporate Accountability Committee
GOOD NEWS and Congratulations to all!
The amazing effort of the Digby Neck Partnership, several hundred
members of the public, professionals, academics, opposition parties
and all of Nova Scotia's major environmental groups, has led to the
Joint Review Panel's rejection of the proposed White's Point Quarry
and Marine Terminal proposed by Bilcon
"Based on an analysis of the benefits and burdens of the Project, the
Panel has concluded that the burdens outweigh the benefits and that
it would not be in the public interest to proceed with the Whites
Point Quarry and Marine Terminal development."
The Panel is to be commended on its very thorough review and astute
recommendations that respond to citizens and NGO's concerns and
valuable inputs while pointing the way to truly sustainable practices
and processes. It seems incomprehensible that the minority
Conservative Nova Scotia government could reject this decision.
I believe we are reaching a tipping point of citizen awareness,
public protest and scrutiny leading to a) rejection of old guard
unmitigated industrial growth economics come hell or high water;
b) rejection of behind closed doors - old boys network politics;
c) rejection of Nova Scotia and Canada as the natural resource
base for a hyper growth unsustainable US based and owned North
American economy promoted by the SPP and Atlantica.
The entire 145 report, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE WHITES POINT QUARRY AND MARINE TERMINAL PROJECT - JOINT REVIEW PANEL REPORT OCTOBER 2007, is available here.
The following conclusions and recommendations are excerpted from an 18 page Executive Summary:
PANEL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The Panelīs mandate was to determine whether the Project presented by
Bilcon would result in significant adverse or beneficial physical,
biological or socio-economic environmental effects and would be in
the public interest. Based on its comprehensive synthesis and
analysis of all the information provided, the Panel found that the
Project would have a significant adverse effect on a Valued
Environmental Component represented by the "core values" of the
affected communities. The Panelīs review of core values advocated by
the communities along Digby Neck and Islands, as well as community
and government policy expectations, led the Panel to the conviction
that community has an exceptionally strong and well-defined vision of
its future. The proposed injection of an industrial project into the
region would undermine and jeopardize community visions and
expectations, and lead to irrevocable and undesired changes of
quality of life. In addition, the Project would make little or no net
contribution to sustainability.
Based on an analysis of the benefits and burdens of the Project, the
Panel has concluded that the burdens outweigh the benefits and that
it would not be in the public interest to proceed with the Whites
Point Quarry and Marine Terminal development. The Panel submits the
following recommendations to the Minister of the Environment (Canada)
and the Minister of Environment and Labour (Nova Scotia):
1. The Panel recommends that the Minister of Environment and Labour
(Nova Scotia) reject the proposal made by Bilcon of Nova Scotia to
create the Whites Point Quarry and Marine Terminal and recommends to
the Government of Canada that the Project is likely to cause
significant adverse environmental effects that, in the opinion of the
Panel, cannot be justified in the circumstances.
2. The Panel recommends that the Province of Nova Scotia develop and
implement a comprehensive coastal zone management policy or plan for
the Province.
3. Because of the special issues associated with coastal quarries,
the Panel recommends a moratorium on new approvals for development
along the North Mountain until the Province of Nova Scotia has
thoroughly reviewed this type of initiative within the context of a
comprehensive provincial coastal zone management policy and
established appropriate guidelines to facilitate decision-making.
4. The Panel recommends that the Province of Nova Scotia develop and
implement more effective mechanisms than those currently in place for
consultation with local governments, communities and proponents in
Environmental Assessment of the Whites Point Quarry and Marine
Terminal Project considering applications for quarry developments.
5. The Panel recommends that the Province of Nova Scotia modify its
regulations to require an environmental assessment of quarry projects
of any size.
6. The Panel recommends that the Canadian Environmental Assessment
Agency develop a guidance document on the application of adaptive
management in environmental assessments and in environmental
management following approvals.
7. The Panel recommends that Transport Canada revise its ballast
water regulations to ensure that ships transporting goods from waters
with known risks take appropriate measures to significantly reduce
the risk of transmission of unwanted species.
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hat we do: Systems of corporate governance and the corporate abuse of power interfere with the ability of communities and nations to protect the environment. CAC takes action through shareholder resolutions, opposing corporate water privatization, and education regarding the fundamentals of corporate power.
