Mi’kmaq protesters block site

Mi’kmaq protesters blocked access to a construction site near proposed natural gas storage caverns in Nova Scotia, saying the project threatens a tidal river that passes through their traditional lands.

About 20 people gathered near the Alton project in Fort Ellis on Monday, close to a small island where the tidal Shubenacadie River meets a channel in which salt water is to be discharged.

The natural gas storage project would pump water from the winding Shubenacadie river to the underground salt cavern site about 12 kilometres away, where it will be used to help empty the caverns. The briny water that results would be pumped back into the river system.

The Mi’kmaq protesters say they’re upset over the plan by AltaGas Ltd. because it poses environmental risks to fisheries they have accessed for centuries.

A representative of AltaGas said the company is monitoring the situation and was concerned primarily with the safety of its workers and the public.