Sierra Club PRESS RELEASE - Atlantic Canada Chapter

Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 09:03:17 -0300 (ADT)
From: Paul A Falvo <pfalvo@chebucto.ns.ca>
To: Sustainable Maritimes <sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca>
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Ed: To get involved with the Sierra Club, contact Amelia Clarke, our
interim volunteer coordinator - mailto:aclarke4@is2.dal.ca
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Margaree Harbour
July 16, 2000

SIERRA CLUB LAUNCHES ATLANTIC CANADA CHAPTER

Environmentalists from the four Atlantic provinces met this weekend in
Margaree Harbour, Cape Breton to form the newest chapter of the Sierra
Club.  Over fifty people participated in the conference which focused on
issues from industrial hog factories, to the threat to the fisheries from
oil and gas, to the on-going human health and environmental toll of the
Sydney Tar Ponds.

Newfoundland Sierra Club member, Martin Von Mirbach commented, "The
strength of a respected credible national organization like the Sierra
Club of Canada will boost local efforts to protect the critical old growth
boreal forests of the Main River watershed."  Founding members of the new
Atlantic Canada Chapter expressed solidarity with the efforts of the Save
the Main Coalition and promised to make the protection of Main River's
rare forests an immediate and high priority.

"I am so encouraged to find so many like-minded people committed to help us
in our local efforts for a healthy environment," said Sydney concerned
parent Susan Mirao.  The Sydney Tar Ponds, clean-up of the Muggah Creek
watershed and pressing for sewage treatment for Sydney Harbour also emerged
as a key priority for the new group.

The Sierra Club of Canada is a membership-based, volunteer-governed
national environmental organization.  Paul Falvo, chair of the existing
Sierra Club branch in Atlantic Canada (Chebucto Group) said, "The weekend
exceeded even our wildest expectations.  Our membership is growing faster
than ever. Atlantic Canadians are demanding clean air and clean water. We
want our children to be healthy.  When government and industry don't
respect that, people turn to organizations like the Sierra Club."

Sierra Club of Canada Executive Director Elizabeth May agreed.  "The
Atlantic provinces are victimized by political marginalization.  Nowhere
else in Canada would people be living next to a toxic soup like the Tar
Ponds, and nowhere but in the Third World do you see shoreline oil and gas
leases except in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence."

Halting any exploration or development of oil and gas in the rich fisheries
of the Southern Gulf is a chapter priority in conjunction with the existing
coalition of fishermens organizations, First Nations, tourism operators,
the local clergy, and environmentalists.

Acadia University professor Janet Eaton placed many of Atlantic Canada's
current environmental crises in the context of increased corporate control
in an era of economic globalization.

The Sierra Club of Canada -- Atlantic Canada Chapter also plans to lead
wilderness outings and reach young people in school with environmental
education materials.

-30-

Contact:
Amelia Clarke: mailto:aclarke4@is2.dal.ca
Paul Falvo: 902-454-9573
Elizabeth May: 902-235-2584
Susan Mirao: 902-565-7484
Martin Von Mirbach: 709-634-0371



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