Tantramar Council urged to write letters opposing NB Power gas/diesel plant on the Isthmus

Members of the Stop the Tantramar Gas Plant group asked town council Monday to join their constituents in writing letters opposing the big gas/diesel generating plant that NB Power wants to have built near Centre Village on the Chignecto Isthmus.

“What we are asking from the Town of Tantramar specifically is to oppose the gas plant proposal,” Midgic resident Kristen LeBlanc told council.

She asked that council write letters to federal and provincial decision makers.

“Send them to Susan Holt, send them to Dominic LeBlanc, send them to fellow MPs,” she said, “so they’re eventually heard by the Liberal Party.”

LeBlanc said her group has been gathering signatures on a petition that Green Party leader Elizabeth May has agreed to present in Parliament, but unfortunately there’s been no response to their letters so far from Beauséjour MP Dominic LeBlanc or his federal colleagues.

She made her request after Midgic resident Juliette Bulmer showed a series of slides describing the effects of a 500 MW fossil-fuel plant in such an ecologically sensitive place.

Bulmer said up to seven million litres of water could be drawn from the underground aquifers every day — enough to fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools — with three million gallons of diesel fuel stored and used on the 500 acre site.

“There will be threats to our economy, our health and our way of life,” she added.

“Air pollution causing asthma, increased respiratory illness and lung disease especially in vulnerable populations,” she said before mentioning falling property and business values.

“A peaceful natural community replaced with toxic industry.”

Council reaction

“It does baffle me that in this day and age of climate change and forest fires, like we’ve had across Canada and the United States too, that we’re going to put jet engines into a forest and say it’s safe to be there,” Councillor Michael Tower said as about 25 spectators applauded.

“I do love the idea that we write to Dominic LeBlanc and I think we should also be writing to [Prime Minister] Mark Carney,” Tower added.

He referred to “false information” that NB Power and the American company PROENERGY were spreading, an apparent reference to their claim that Mi’kmaq chiefs had agreed to invest in the project as equity partners.

(The Chiefs issued a news release last month saying they had not agreed to invest and wanted a thorough, Indigenous-led rights impact assessment before they would consider consenting to a project on land that is subject to their claims for Aboriginal title.)

Councillors Bruce Phinney and Debbie Wiggins-Colwell also expressed support for a council letter-writing campaign.

“When I first heard about this, I’m like, yes, you know, this is extra income to our municipality and it will bring in tax dollars,” Councillor Josh Goguen said.

“But then, the more and more I’m reading about it, it just does not make sense,” he added, pointing to the “horrible” conditions of the roads around Midgic.

“This is definitely not needed in our area and I totally support you guys and I’ll sign whatever needs to get signed.”

Estabrooks keeps quiet

As Mayor Black called for last questions or comments, an audience member called out to ask for support from Deputy Mayor Matt Estabrooks who represents the municipal ward that includes Midgic, Centre Village and the property that would house the gas plant.

“He can speak if he wishes to, but that’s up to him,” Black said. “I’m not going to make somebody say something.”

Estabrooks stayed silent. After the meeting, he told Warktimes he did not wish to comment and he walked away when Juliette Bulmer approached him.

In e-mail exchanges obtained by Warktimes, Estabrooks wrote in reply to questions from area residents that the gas plant project is making its way through provincial and federal environmental impact assessments.

“I am confident in these processes,” he wrote. “They are the Experts.”

In another email, Estabrooks wrote: “I will share that I have received lots of feedback from residents regarding this project, the resounding majority being in support of it…that said, any support offered has been unanimously contingent on receiving a stamp of approval from the Provincial and Federal environmental assessment processes.”

Tower promises to act

Councillor Michael Tower said he wanted to move a motion asking council to write letters opposing the gas plant project, but he agreed to wait until its budget meeting on September 23 after Mayor Black suggested it would give staff time to review the matter.