Sign of the times

 

PLEASE HELP WITH OUR SIGN CAMPAIGN!

Get in touch to receive yours. They're free, but donations to offset the cost of printing will be gratefully accepted. You can reach us on Facebook, Twitter or Email to make arrangements.

We thank Nature Nova Scotia, Falcon Henge and McCurdy & Reed Canoes for being our first sign sponsors. More are expected and welcome!

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WHY A SIGN CAMPAIGN?

A toxic, unlawful landfill has been degrading the land, water, air and property values on the North Mountain for too long!

Arlington Heights C&D was built at the apex of three watersheds that have provided pristine drinking water and supported livestock and gardening installations for communities immediately downslope for centuries. Four brooks from the wetland lead directly into the Bay of Fundy.

Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (NSECC) admits an Environmental Assessment was "overlooked" when the site was originally approved. The truth is, a lot more than that has been overlooked or outright ignored. 

The department has not been forthcoming, as is demonstrated by dozens of misleading letters, multiple denied requests to meet, insults, threats (yes, threats) and a massive, disorganized (and not free) Freedom of Information request.

NSECC has not followed its own rules and has failed to protect this vitally important environment. Because due diligence was not done at the outset, multiple expansion and other approvals have been allowed that never should have been.

Had NSECC performed adequate community consultation, or listened to citizens' repeated concerns or historical knowledge of the area, this environmental disaster could have been avoided. 

Instead, the wetland has been all but destroyed - clearcut, bulldozed, and stuffed full of tens of thousands of tons of HRM's asbestos and toxic auto shredder residue (ASR) - all without the proper environmental protection in place (it's a generation one, primitive unlined landfill). ASR is a known carcinogen and is highly susceptible to spontaneous combustion.

We know the repeated mantra of "impermeable soil" that both the dump and the department tried to sell us is false. Their own soil test results proved the presence of contaminated leachate beyond dump property.

The answer is clear: It's time to stop this insanity once and for all and CLEAN UP ARLINGTON HEIGHTS!