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----- Original Message ----- From: "Elizabeth May" <scc@magma.ca> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 9:38 AM Subject: Call for letters to the editor: to continue moratorium on oil and gas exploration off Cape Breton Island > PLEASE FORWARD and SHARE with all activists lists: > > > Dear activist, > > We need your support NOW. The Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board > is now actively considering allowing seismic testing in the coastal near > shore areas around Cape Breton Island. These would be the first coastal > exploration licenses granted in Nova Scotia. (Unlike most of the rest of > the world, Atlantic Canada has quietly allowed near shore exploration near > Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands). . > > The Save our Seas and Shores Coalition took a full page ad on the day of > the board's meeting, January 23, 2003 in the province-wide Chronicle Herald > calling for a continuation of the prohibition orders that cover these > areas. We need a strong public chorus of voices calling for a moratorium > on Cape Breton's near shore waters. > > Please send letters calling on the federal and provincial ministers of > fisheries, natural resources and the regulator, the Canada Nova Scotia > Offshore Petroleum Board to cancel the licenses and establish a permanent > moratorium on exploration in these waters. > > Addresses: > The Chronicle Herald :<letters@herald.ns.ca> The Cape Breton Post : > <letters@cbpost.com> > > Minister of Energy, (Nova Scotia) The Hon. Ernie Fage, PO Box 2664, > Halifax B3J 3P7 > Minister of Fisheries (Nova Scotia) The Hon. Gordon Balser, PO Box 2223, > B3J 2C4 > > Minister of Natural Resources (federal) The Hon. Herb Dhaliwal, M.P. , > House of Commons OTTAWA (no stamps necessary) > > Minister of Fisheries (federal) The Hon. Robert Thibeault, M.P. House of > Commons, OTTAWA (no stamp necessary). > > See our web site for more information <sierraclub.ca/national> or call > 1-888-810-4204 > > Elizabeth May > > > > >OPEN LETTER IN HALIFAX HERALD CALLS CNSOPB TO CONTINUE MORATORIUM ON OIL AND > >GAS EXPLORATION OFF CAPE BRETON ISLAND > > > >January 23, 2003 > > > >Halifax- With a decision imminent on allowing or disallowing seismic testing > >in the coastal, near-shore waters around the Cape Breton Island coastline, a > >coalition of fishermen, environmental, tourism and First Nations interests > >have taken their message to the Canada-Nova Scotia Off-Shore Petroleum Board > >(CNSOPB) and the public. In today's Chronicle Herald, a full-page > >advertisement has been placed by the Save our Seas and Shores Coalition > >calling for a moratorium on oil and gas exploration in these biologically > >rich and diverse in-shore waters. > > > >The "open letter" to the CNSOPB sets out the reasons for the considerable > >opposition to petroleum exploration in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and > >Sydney Bight. According to the "letter," oil and gas exploration "would not > >be allowed in most jurisdictions in North America. Florida, for instance, > >does not allow any new oil and gas development within 100 miles of shore and > >the Bush Administration is now buying back old leases within this zone. Near > >shore developments are not allowed along the whole US Eastern seaboard, or > >off California, British Columbia, most of Europe and Alaska." It also > >mentions that Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans testified in a > >recent public review that "this area is more sensitive and more diverse than > >Georges Bank - the rich fishing grounds off South West Nova Scotia." Georges > >Bank is currently protected by a moratorium. > > > >"For the last three and a half years, fishermen from the three Maritime > >provinces have been fighting to protect one of Canada's richest fisheries," > >said Jeff Brownstein of the Maritime Fisherman's Union, one of the > >organizations signing the letter. "We cannot sit idly by and allow our > >livelihood and the environment to be threatened for a slim chance of local > >benefit." > > > >"We are desperately hoping the petroleum board will recognize that this is > >clearly one of the most inappropriate areas in Canada for oil and gas," said > >Elizabeth May, Executive Director of Sierra Club of Canada. "In reality, if > >regulators allow seismic testing in coastal Cape Breton, there will > > >literally be no area in Canada's coastal waters that could be considered too > >sensitive." > > > >A partial list of groups signing the ad includes Tourism Industry > >Association of Nova Scotia, Sierra Club of Canada, Margaree Salmon > >Association, Area 18 and Area 19 Western Cape Breton Snow Crab Associations, > >Gulf Nova Scotia Herring Federation, World Wildlife Fund Canada, PEI > >Fisherman's Union, Council of Canadians, Gulf Nova Scotia Fleet Planning > >Board, Ecology Action Centre, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, > >Po'tlo'tek Fish and Wildlife Association, and Whale Watch Captains Dennis > >Cox, Cyril Fraser, Fred Lawrence, Stanley McKinnon, Danny Robinson and Mark > >Timmons. > > > >-30- > > > >For more information, contact Ecology Action Centre: 902-429-2202, Jeff > >Brownstein: 902-929-2757 > >Sierra Club of Canada: 613-241-2292 -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- SUST-MAR TIP: copyright material cannot be posted to the list CBC enviro news-briefs follow: -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- HALIFAX COUNCILLOR REVIVES SMOKING BAN DEBATE The current smoking rules for the Halifax area are too confusing, according to Halifax regional councillor Bob Harvey. So Harvey will push for a total ban on smoking for the region. FULL STORY http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_harveysmoke20030129 EXPENSIVE GAS WILL BOOST PROVINCIAL COFFERS: FAGE Nova Scotia Energy Minister Ernie Fage says if natural gas prices continue to rise, the province can expect more revenue from gas royalties. FULL STORY http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_fagegas20030129 IRVING OIL SUPPORTS KYOTO DEAL Oil industrialist Arthur Irving says the Kyoto Accord to reduce greenhouse gas emmissions is good for Canada, and won't hurt his company. FULL STORY http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_irvingkyoto20030129 © Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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