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Action Alert for Greenwich from Wildcanada.net Protect Prince Edward Island National Park Wildcanada.net Action Alert -- 063 Friday May 3, 2002 Synopsis Prince Edward Island National Park is under threat from a large resort development that will be built on the park boundary. The development will eventually include a 150-room hotel and restaurant, 910 time-share units, an 18-hole golf course and 8.5 kilometres of hiking and cycling trails. Take Action to protect Canada's most endangered National Park by visiting http://www.edcanada.org/action.htm Background PEI National Park is one of the smallest of all the National Parks in Canada. The Park is home to highly fragile sand dunes, a host of rare plant species, over 256 bird species, and the internationally endangered shorebird, the Piping Plover. The Canadian Nature Federation recently reported that PEI National Park is the most endangered National Park in Canada. Wildcanada.net sent out an Action Alert on this issue in January 2001, and reported on the CNF report card labeling PEI National Park the most endangered park just last month. Since we brought this to your attention more than a year ago, the resort has received preliminary approval from the province of PEI, even though it has not undergone a federal environmental assessment. This means that no one knows how the development will affect the park. Take Action Environmental Defence Canada has prepared sample letters for you to fax to federal government officials. You can send the letter as it is written or add your own polite comments. Visit http://www.edcanada.org/action.htm to learn more or take action. =============== News Release (May 6, 2002) : Proposed Golf Resort is a Double Bogey Proposed Golf Resort is a Double Bogey Environmental group calls on federal government to review resort development May 6, 2002 Toronto, Ontario - Prince Edward Island National Park is under threat from a hotel and golf resort that will span 187 hectares along its border. The proposed resort will include an 18-hole golf course, 150-room hotel, 910 condominium units and trails for hiking and cycling. "We want sand dunes, not sand traps," said Michelle Campbell, Case Coordinator, Environmental Defence Canada, a national environmental organization. "If this resort goes ahead, it could destroy the park's famous sand dunes." According to an annual report on National Parks, PEI National Park is already considered Canada's most endangered. The report pointed to the high number of visitors as a threat to the rare species living in the park. PEI National Park is the most overcrowded in Canada, with more than 30,000 visitors per square kilometre each year. If the resort goes ahead, it could bring another 140,000 people annually to the area, which could destroy the home of a globally endangered bird. "Don't sink this birdie," said Campbell. "It's about time the federal government took action to protect PEI National Park." The provincial government gave preliminary approval of the resort in March. Although the province carried out an environmental review, it did not examine the potential effects of the development on the National Park itself. "The PEI government didn't even look at the impact this resort will have on the ecological integrity of the adjoining park," said Sharon Labchuk, spokesperson for Earth Action. "More importantly, the province has no plan to assess the cumulative ecological effects of this resort along with other potential tourist developments on land surrounding the park." Environmental Defence is calling on the federal government to carry out an environmental assessment of the resort before it receives final approval from the province. Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the federal government has the authority to order environmental reviews of development proposals that could affect land under federal control. Canadians can send a fax requesting a federal review to the Minister of the Environment, David Anderson, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Sheila Copps, by visiting www.edcanada.org. About Environmental Defence Canada Founded in 1984, Environmental Defence Canada (www.edcanada.org) gives Canadians the tools and knowledge they need to protect and improve the environment and their health. Environmental Defence Canada was previously known as the Canadian Environmental Defence Fund. Since its founding, Environmental Defence Canada has provided some $6 million in assistance to citizen's groups across Canada. The organization supported the Island Nature Trust in 1989 in a similar proposal to develop land next to PEI National Park. Environmental Defence helped to get a full environmental assessment of the Confederation Bridge linking PEI with New Brunswick. The organization supports the Innu Nation of Labrador in its fight against low-level flight tests and other threats to their environment. Last year, Environmental Defence helped to launch the most successful Canadian environmental web site: www.pollutionwatch.org, and recently launched a food safety web site: www.foodwatch.ca. -30- For more information, please contact: Jennifer Foulds, Communications Coordinator, Environmental Defence Canada (416) 323-9521 Sharon Labchuk, Earth Action (902) 621-0719 ================ ================= Subscribe to Earth Action's Weekly Bulletin (it's free). Send an email to <majordomo@flora.org> with thefollowing command in the body of your email message: subscribe earth-action ************ 'Something in the Air' - a new National Film Board of Canada documentary by PEI filmaker Sylvie Dauphinais. Filmed on Prince Edward Island. Agricultural pesticide spray drift, children and the air they breathe. Available in French or English. In Canada call: 1-800-267-7710. In USA call: 1-800-542-2164. http://cmm.onf.ca/E/titleinfo/index.epl?id=50655 ***************** Sharon Labchuk Earth Action 81 Prince Street, Charlottetown, PEI Canada C1A 4R3 phone 902-621-0719 slabchuk@isn.net =============== -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- SUST-MAR TIP: copyright material cannot be posted to the list CBC enviro news-briefs follow: -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- TRUCK CRASH SPARKS INVESTIGATION Police are investigating a fiery crash on an overpass near the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border. The accident happened late Wednesday night on the Trans Canada Highway. FULL STORY http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_crash020509 SAILOR SICK AFTER SWALLOWING SALT WATER A man sailing in the Halifax area says he developed a bacterial infection from accidentally swallowing salt water he fears contained raw sewage. John Winters went to his family doctor after he become increasingly sick on Monday. FULL STORY http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_boating020509 ACCESS TO INFORMATION FEE HIKE A CONCERN The person responsible for overseeing the province's access to information law is speaking out against the Hamm government's new access fees. FULL STORY http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_access020509 © Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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