TREPA position on Canadian Environmental Network

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Dan Earle

To: Peter Kent, Minister of Environment

From: John Sollows, Executive Director,
Tusket River Environmental Protection Association,
P. O. Box 103,
Tusket, Nova Scotia,
B0W 3M0.

Phone: (902)-742-2802

Date: October 25/11

File Number: 11-075

We are disappointed with your decision to stop support for the Canadian Environmental Network.

We understand that the total amount of funding requested was $547,000. This very modest sum is needed support a crucial core staff of underpaid, dedicated workers across the country, a staff whose efforts help make colleague organizations better-informed and more effective.

Thanks to the Canadian Environmental Network and the Nova Scotia Environmental Network, our own organization has benefited from various valuable training programs, has been kept up to date on numerous environmental issues of importance, and has been enabled to communicate with and support colleagues and partners from both other environmental groups and various agencies and levels of government. The Canadian and provincial networks are an essential piece of the framework which make the environmental community an important partner in the governance of the country.

A healthy environment is crucial to our long-term economic well-being, but has no voice at the table when decisions are made. We see one of our roles as a colleague and partner of governments, helping them make well-informed decisions and encouraging them to consider the impact of their decisions on the environment. Cancellation of support for the Network will weaken us all, and affect our ability to help governments look after the long-term interests of the country.

We therefore encourage you to reconsider and reverse your decision to stop funding of the Canadian Environmental Network.

Posted in For the Record, Public Participation | Comments Off on TREPA position on Canadian Environmental Network

Coastal team action

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Dan Earle

The Ecology Action Centre has announced  that their Post for the Coast postcards (pictured) are now available online. You can now send your concerns and thoughts on how to improve coastal management in Nova Scotia directly to the Premier’s email inbox! Please take a look and share the link with your contacts. http://www.ecologyaction.ca/post-coast If you are interested in receiving some hard copy postcards to distribute, please contact Ashley Sprague at the ECA and she will send some your way.  (902) 442-5046

Also, The latest ‘Voices for the Coast’ video is now online featuring 10 new voices from around the Province. Take a look and you’ll see EAC’s Jennifer Graham sharing her coastal concerns. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnnkTZxg2LQ

Want to hear more about what Nova Scotians think about our coast? Watch the first ‘Voices for our Coast’ video http://bit.ly/mSAvIc

Also join the ‘Act for Our Coast Now‘ Facebook page

Posted in Coastal Issues | Comments Off on Coastal team action

Coastal Coalition welcomes Coastal Strategy

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Dan Earle

This is a press release on behalf of the Coastal Coalition of which TREPA is a member.

October 13th

2011 Coastal Strategy a “Good Start””; now let’s get moving on an Act Halifax

The Coastal Coalition of Nova Scotia (CCNS) welcomes the draft Coastal Strategy launched by the province on Thursday and considers it an important step towards a provincial Coastal Act. “The CCNS has supported the coastal strategy since the process began” says Jennifer Graham, Coalition spokesperson and Coastal Coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre, “We’re really pleased to see governance as a priority issue. After all, how can we hope to protect our coast and coastal communities if we don’t put in place a fair, transparent, straightforward, and accountable system of consistently applied rules and regulations for all coastal activities?”

CCNS is also pleased with many of the goals identified in the strategy, including establishing coastal development standards and setting targets for cleaning up polluted coastal areas. However, the Coalition believes these recommendations need to be tied to firm commitments for implementation with associated timelines and resources. “We’ve been very clear that we consider a strategy to be just that – a strategy. It’s 2011, and we need to see the kinds of coastal legislation, planning, and enforcement that will actually fix the problems along the coast. We want to see the province commit to a Coastal Act” says Graham.

The Coalition is also disappointed the Strategy limits itself to 6 isolated coastal issues plus governance. “What about aquaculture?” asks Graham, “Shouldn’t the same commitment to developing consistent standards, filling information gaps, and finding a meaningful role for communities apply to all coastal activities, including aquaculture?”

CCNS is committed to working with the provincial and municipal governments to further advance sustainable coastal development and is urging all Nova Scotians who care about the coast and its future to share their views with the provincial government on-line at the website below. CCNS is a network of 50 community and environmental organizations from around the Province. http://ccns.chebucto.org/

Posted in Coastal Issues | Comments Off on Coastal Coalition welcomes Coastal Strategy

Provincial wetland policy

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Dan Earle

Our long time partners in Nova Scotia environmental issues, the Ecology Action Centre has published the following press release that will be of interest to TREPA members.

EAC welcomes NS wetland Conservation Policy

The Ecology Action Centre welcomes the arrival of the Nova Scotia Wetlands Conservation Policy. The NS Wetland Conservation Policy was promised in 2007, as part of the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act, and was to be completed by December 2009. The Centre believes the new policy is a significant improvement in wetland protection over the previous approach. “Healthy wetlands provide clean drinking water, slow coastal erosion, protect against storm surges, and are important wildlife habitat.” says Jennifer Graham, Coastal Coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre. “We support this approach because it promotes avoiding wetland loss and requires compensation for wetland damage.” The EAC appreciates that the new policy commits to no further loss of ecologically significant wetlands, such as salt marshes, as well as the requirement that wetland professionals be involved in assessing wetland boundaries and functions However, the Centre is concerned that no permits are required for altering wetlands less than 100 square metres or narrower than 10 metres. “We don’t want to see death by a 1000 cuts”, says Graham “one pond filled in over here, a driveway through a wetland over there, and before you know it, we’ve lost the last intact wetland in the entire area.” The Centre hopes that despite the 22 month delay in delivering the new Wetland Conservation Policy, the province is serious about wetland protection and will move forward with other recommendations in the policy such as updating the provincial wetland inventory, and increasing education for landowners and developers about the value and significance of wetlands.

For further information: Jennifer Graham, Coastal Coordinator, Ecology Action Centre, HYPERLINK “mailto:coastal@ecologyactino.ca”coastal@ecologyactino.ca phone: 442-5046.

Also see: http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/wetland/ 

Posted in Uncategorized, Wetlands | Comments Off on Provincial wetland policy

Forest health and stewardship workshops announced

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Dan Earle

Posted in Forestry Issues | Comments Off on Forest health and stewardship workshops announced