Sierra-News: March 1999
Sierra Club - Chebucto Group Newsletter
Welcome to the second May 1999 issue of sierra-news, the Sierra Club's
e-newsletter covering Atlantic Canada
In this issue:
1 - VOLUNTEER HELP WANTED: ExComm Candidates
Election Help
Chapter fund raising committee
2 - ACTION ALERT - SAVE GEORGE'S BANK!!
3 - Cape Breton Section: Frederick Street VICTORY
As always, please remember that i am but your loyal scribe; please send
comments and responses on individual components of sierra-news to the
individual author, as indicated herein.
- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * -
1 - VOLUNTEER HELP WANTED: CHEBUCTO GROUP EXCOMM ELECTIONS
Chebucto Group (that's the Atlantic canada branch of the Sierra Club) is
still looking for all manner of help with our election of our Executive
commitee. These are the volunteers who make the decisions (and do the
work!) to run the Group on a day-to-day basis.
If you can help, either during the election process itself or as a
candidate, RSVP to sierra@chebucto.ns.ca
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Chapter fund raising committee
From: Andrea Barker
We're looking for volunteers to help us raise MONEY! All legal means
considered ... rsvp to Andrea Barker andEastern Canada
Chapter
- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * -
2 - ACTION ALERT - SAVE GEORGES BANK!!!
From: Paula Boutis
EASTERN CANADA CHAPTER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
Please copy the form letter and addresses/petition and take the time to
fill them in and return them to the office by June 16th if you wish to
support this important campaign. This information and more should be up
on our website soon, if it is not already. If you would like more
information, please contact the office. In a nutshell, we wish to see a
moratorium on exploration for oil and drilling in Georges Bank, off the
coast of Nova Scotia, extended indefinitely, or at least to 2012, to match
the U.S. moratorium.
Sierra Club Eastern Canada Chapter
517 College Street, Suite 237, Toronto, Ontario, M6G 4A2
Phone 416-960-9606, Fax 416-960-0020
E-mail: sierraec@interlog.com
Website: http://www.sierraclub.ca/eastern
Environmental issues of concern:
THIS CAUSE HITS HARD on MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES
*Energy: harmful versus clean
*Greenhouse gases and global warming
*Air pollution from use of oil & gas
*Water pollution from discharges and spills
*Endangered species protection
*Marine mammal protection
*Fisheries protection
*Human health threats from natural gas
*International law (NAFTA, Kyoto Protocol, Transboundary Impacts)
*Canadian law (environmental assessment laws, need for endangered
species and marine mammal protection legislation)
SAMPLE FORM LETTER TO:
Federal Government Contact
The Honourable Ralph Goodale
Minister of Natural Resources, Canada
Ottawa, ON K1A 0E4
Fax: 613-996-4516
Nova Scotia Contact
The Honourable Manning McDonald
Minister of Economic Development and for the Petroleum Directorate
7th Floor, World Trade and Convention Centre, 1800 Argyle Street
P.O. Box 519
Halifax, NS B3J 2R7
Fax: 902-424-0514
I urge you to do the right thing and support an extension of the
moratorium on further oil and gas development in Georges Bank. A ban is
the best approach. At the very least, the Canadian moratorium should be
extended until 2012, to match the American moratorium extension.
There is significant of support for an indefinite moratorium. Many
Canadian and American decision-makers, fishers groups, environmental
groups, scientists, community leaders, and are strongly in support of the
moratorium. We do not want endangered species who depend on Georges Bank,
put at further risk. We do not want fish populations, some already in
crisis, further threatened. We do not want more oil and gas development
when development of truly clean energy alternatives, such as solar, wind
and hydrogen, is viable. Since oil & gas are not sustainable resources, we
know that the few jobs this industry creates will also not be sustainable.
We do not want short-sighted and misguided government decision-making.
Canada has international commitments under the Kyoto Protocol on Climate
Change, the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a
Transboundary Context, NAFTA, and the Canada-US partnership to protect and
restore the Gulf of Maine. Canada and Nova Scotia also have legal and
policy commitments under environmental protection and assessment laws, and
the Fisheries Act. We urge you to follow the law. Canada does not have
national endangered species or marine mammal protection legislation, and
had these been in place, it is likely Georges Bank would have been
automatically protected thereby. While this country has fallen far short
in this regard, you can still do the right thing.
Make the decision to support a ban on oil and gas development in Georges
Bank. Since the oil and gas industry has access to most of the rest of
offshore Atlantic Canada, please do more to protect the other ecologically
sensitive marine areas in this area.
Sincerely,
Name: _________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________
PETITION
TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED
We, the undersigned concerned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the
House to the following:
THAT the moratorium on oil and gas development in the Canadian
portion of Georges Bank expires January 1, 2000,
THAT Georges Bank is a unique and ecologically significant
marine system, rich in biodiversity, supporting and sustaining
many species,
THAT the United States of America has extended the moratorium
on oil and gas development on their portion of Georges Bank
until 2012, and
THEREFORE, we request that Parliament, in cooperation with the Nova
Scotia Government, extend the moratorium on oil and gas development
indefinitely, with no possibility of revocation until at least the year
2012, to match the date set by the United States of America.
1. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
2. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
3. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
4. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
5 _____________________ ________________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
6. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
7. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
8. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
9. _____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
10. ____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Name Address Signature
Please return this petition by June 16th to:
The Sierra Club of Canada - Eastern Canada Chapter
237 - 517 College Street, Toronto, ON M6G 4A2
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
3 - Frederick Street VICTORY
From: Sierra Club, Cape Breton Section
Victory in Sydney: 10 families on Frederick Street bought out by
government after a year-long battle. The provincial government had no
choice when basements were "oozing" with toxins from the coke ovens,
although JAG is trying to take credit for the moves. So big
congratulations to Juanita McKenzie for leading the battle on Frederick
Street. Now Juanita and the others can find new homes and take a break
after a long fight.
New Community Alliance formed to push for government to commit to
quicker cleanup. Too much time spent fighting over nonsensical issues and
no time spent on deciding on remedial options. $62 million token dollars
put to JAG for superficial projects like fencing the tar ponds that
Minister Marchi suggested be fence 3 years ago while remedial options were
chosen; sewage collector system to move sewage from tar ponds to Sydney
harbour; removal of Domtar tank and a few buildings on the coke ovens
site; separation zones established and fenced in. It has already been
proven that fences do not keep the poisons away from the people.
Sierra Club, Cape Breton Section
http://www.sierraclub.ca/eastern/cape_breton/
*****************************************
For more information on Pesticides check out the Sierra Club Homepage
Email the Sierra Club's Chebucto Group
or call (902) 455-6365
***************************************
Sierra Club of Canada, Eastern Canada Chapter
517 College St. Ste.237,
Toronto, ON
M6G 4A2
Ph. (416)960-9606 Fax(416)960-0020
Membership Questions
Visit Our Web Site
***************************************
_________________________________________________________________________
Mission Statement of the Sierra Club of Canada, Eastern Canada Chapter
The purposes of the Eastern Canada Chapter are to explore, enjoy and
protect the wild places of the earth and to practise and promote the
responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources, especially within
the territorial boundaries of the Chapter and through the development of a
well-trained grassroots network.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
with "unsubscribe sierra-news" (without quotes)
as the body of your message. For help with this list contact
Contact the Sierra Club's Chebucto Group, email
or call (902) 455-6365
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sierra Club is North America's most effective grass roots environmental
group. Chebucto Group is the local branch, covering Atlantic Canada. To
subscribe to our bimonthly email newsletter, and receive regular updates
on conservation activities, outings, and get-togethers just send a message
with only the words "subscribe sierra-news" to
Return to Chebucto Group
Comments to:
Chebucto Webmaster