Gretchen Fitzgerald's blog

Can’t We Just Say No?

Joint US / Canada Sierra Club Meeting 2005

Thirteen years ago, I was hired as a consultant to provide expert advice on the impacts of the Digby Quarry. The local community had become alarmed about the quarry when they heard about plans to build a marine terminal at the site. Clearly, the quarry, which was originally 3.9 hectares –the size of quarry that eludes environmental assessment in Nova Scotia –was going to be much larger than they had thought. Turned out, a 120 hectare quarry was planned, located 50 metres from the shoreline.

Beyond Boom and Bust: Listening to the Atlantic on World Oceans Day

The return of folks from western oil and gas fields as a result of the plunge in oil prices and devastating fires in Northern Alberta may seem to have nothing to do with Oceans Day. But to longtime residents of Atlantic Canada being buffeted by economic and ecological tides, it is a rhythm that is all-too-familiar.