Delay decision until act passes

At the Pooles Corner public meeting on the Water Act Draft, Islanders petitioned the minister to ban fracking in the act, and to keep things as transparent and straightforward as possible. Meanwhile, back at the department, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) office was getting ready to post documents related to an amendment to the application to upsize the (non-GMO) egg-raising fish hatchery approved last June to include growing genetically modified salmon to market size.

Groups working for two years in good faith regarding a Water Act have an idea of what the spirit of the Act would look like. This shoehorned-in addition to the Aqua Bounty application is a miserable excuse for meaningful notice and consultation. This is grandfathering at its very best, and worst.

Comments on the EIA application may be made until Monday, May 15th at their website. Even with the deadline extended, it’s still a definite lack of time for people to look through the application and comment on concerns about adverse effects and the precautionary principle – all fine sections of the proposed Water Act that will have no impact here. There should be a public meeting in another part of the island, since this is such a significant project.

We call on Community, Lands and Environment Minister Robert Mitchell to use your ministerial authority (like you did with the bottled water plant proposal) and reject or at least postpone this application until after the Water Act is passed and regulations in place. Chris Ortenburger,

Citizens’ Alliance of P.E.I.