Protest muddy waters

By Nadine Armstrong

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

The Friends of the Avon River (FAR) and the Avon Peninsula Watershed Preservation Society (APWPS) joined forces Sunday, May 18, to send a message to Federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Loyola Hearn.

The groups are calling for an ‘emergency’ comprehensive environmental assessment on the complete Avon River Watershed in order to protect the endangered Atlantic salmon, American eel and their critical habitat.

FAR is best known for raising awarness of the potential hazards they contend the Windsor causeway has placed on the Avon River. FAR chair Sonja Wood says the causeway must open its gates and gradually restore the Avon River to it’s natural form. FAR has also voiced concerns regarding potential damage to the river during the twinning of Highway 101. “What was historically a beautiful salmon river connecting to the Bay of Fundy is fast becoming an ecological disaster, thanks to a causeway that was built in the 1960s at a time when environmental considerations barely existed,” Wood said.

She noted that the government of New Brunswick has awknowleged problems posed as a result of a causeway there and have announced they will build a bridge, remove the causeway at the place in question and free the river over the next 15 years. “It is time that the people of Nova Scotia step up to the plate, and demand that we do the same with the Avon River in Windsor.”

Wood said the FAR and the APWPS stand shoulder to shoulder on this issue. FAR had assisted that organization in criticizing the environmental assessment conducted during the Fundy Gypsum expansion application process last year. “Anything coming from the quarry project poses a concern for FAR as well,” she said. “The assessment failed to adequately address the potential impact that the proposed new mine would have upon the critical habitat of the St. Croix, the Kennetcook, and the Avon Rivers. Together these three rivers constitute the heart of the Avon River Watershed.” Both organizations now fight together for the protection of all Fundy Basin waterways. “It is critical, in light of declines on important species, to prevent further corruption in the environment by obtaining information to assess the status of the remaining fish and other biological populations, on the extent and quality of their critical habitat, and to identify and mitigate any stressors shown to be detrimental,” Wood stated in a letter to Hearn. “It is imperative the Fisheries Minister of Canada recognize the immediate concerns of our two groups as they pertain to fish and fish habitat. Both the proposed Highway 101 twinning Project and the proposed new Surface Gypsum Mine at Miller's Creek.”

Wood said there was a good size crowd gathered at the Windsor waterfront that day. “Our message is here, whether there is a large or small crowd. This is not a lackluster effort we are there to represent the members from over the country.”