Panel Named for Whites Point Quarry Review

A three-member panel has been established to review a proposal from Bilcon of Nova Scotia Corporation for a basalt quarry and marine terminal at Whites Point, Digby Co.

The appointment of Robert Fournier, Jill Grant and Gunter Muecke to the panel was announced today, Nov. 5. They were appointed through an agreement signed this week by federal Environment Minister Stéphane Dion and Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Labour Kerry Morash.

"The public, industry and governments all play an important role in making environmental assessment work," said Mr. Morash. "This agreement will guide us through a thorough review of the proposal for Whites Point and ensure that communities are heard."

Bilcon of Nova Scotia Corporation now holds the lease on the Whites Point property. The lease was previously held by Global Quarry Products Inc.

Bilcon is proposing the construction and operation of a quarry, processing facility and marine terminal. Quarrying is proposed to take place on 120 hectares of land. The operations would be year- round with about 40,000 tonnes of aggregate produced for ship loading each week, totalling two million tonnes per year.

"This agreement establishes a single, co-operative environmental assessment and is in keeping with the federal speech from the throne that calls for a unified and more effective environmental assessment process in Canada," said Mr. Dion. "The environmental assessment by a joint review panel will seek to address the potential effects of this project on the environment and on the community. It will provide many opportunities for the public to express their views on those effects."

The agreement establishing the panel sets out the rules for conducting the joint review process, the procedures for appointing panel members and the panel's terms of reference.

The combined knowledge and experience of the three panel members bring a high degree of expertise to the review of the quarry proposal.

Mr. Fournier will serve as chair of the Whites Point review panel. He holds a PhD in biological oceanography from the University of Rhode Island. He spent 28 years at Dalhousie University's oceanography department, and was department head from 1988 to 1999. He has served on many panels and is a regular science commentator for local and national media.

Ms. Grant holds a PhD in regional planning and resource development from the University of Waterloo. She is currently teaching at Dalhousie University's School of Planning. She has conducted research in community planning, climate change, environmental diagnostics for illness and injury prevention, housing in industrial parks, and sustainable residential development.

Mr. Muecke holds a PhD in geochemistry. He taught at Dalhousie University's geology and earth sciences department from 1970 to 1985, and at the School of Resource and Environmental Studies from 1985 to 1998. He is currently an associate research professor at the school and in the faculty of science. He was a member of the federal-provincial review panel for the Kellys Mountain quarry project in 1991.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers a Participant Funding Program that supports individuals and non- profit organizations interested in participating in certain types of environmental assessments. Information on funding available for the Whites Point review will be posted shortly on the website at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca .

Note: The full text of the agreement is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca and on the Nova Scotia Environment and Labour website at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/ess/ea .

Copies are also available on request from:

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency 1801 Hollis St., Suite 200 Halifax

Nova Scotia Environment and Labour 5151 Terminal Rd., 5th floor Halifax

Nova Scotia Environment and Labour Yarmouth District Office 13 First St. Yarmouth

Annapolis Royal Branch Library Town Hall 285 St. George St. Annapolis Royal

Isaiah W. Wilson Memorial Library 84 Warwick St. Digby

Clean Nova Scotia 126 Portland St. Dartmouth

Ecology Action Centre Suite 31, 1568 Argyle St. Halifax