Riverkeeper Launches List of 10 Worst Pollution Sources for 2002
(Complete Report)

(Moncton, January 16, 2003) ­ The environmental organisation Petitcodiac Riverkeeper has unveiled its first ever annual list of the 10 Worst Pollution Sources of the Petitcodiac River system in 2002, with the New Brunswick Department of Transportation leading the pack of the year's worst 'polluters' for its operation and ownership of the Petitcodiac causeway.

The term 'pollution source' employed by the Riverkeeper in its report refers to an activity by individuals, corporations or government agencies that have caused and continues to cause a single or multiple negative impact on the water quality, the habitat and the ecological integrity of the Petitcodiac River system (the 3000 km2 Watershed and its tributaries that comprise the Petitcodiac River, Memramcook River and Shepody Bay).

The objective of the exercise is to assist the Riverkeeper in identifying the issues that have the greatest negative impacts on the Petitcodiac River ecosystem, to educate the public on the most urgent environmental issues facing the watershed, to encourage those parties responsible for the negative impacts to take corrective action, to promote sound watershed management practices for the ecosystem and to repeat the classification exercise on an annual basis.

The full report of the 10 Worst Pollution Sources of the Petitcodiac River system in 2002 can be found on the Riverkeeper's web site (www.petitcodiac.org). The list reads as follows:

The 10 Worst Pollution Sources in 2002

Responsible Party(ies)/Owner(s)

In assessing the order of importance and the frequency in which the 'polluters' appear in the report, the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper noted that the six worst pollution sources designated for the Petitcodiac River ecosystem in 2002 were all caused by government or public agencies:

- The NB Department of Transportation (no. 1, 4 and 6)
- The Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission (no. 2 and 5), and
- Various Municipal Governments including the City of Moncton (no. 3, 5 and 6)

"It doesn't show a good example when government agencies contribute the largest share of the deterioration taking place in our ecosystem" says Daniel LeBlanc, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper's Executive Director. "It is even more worrying when these 'polluters' are accountable to other government agencies whose job it is to enforce environmental laws".

The Petitcodiac causeway was chosen as 2002's Worst Pollution Source for its widespread negative impact on the entire ecosystem and for its responsibility in eliminating at least five aquatic species from the river. The Greater Moncton Primary Treatment Plant was designated as last year's second worst pollution source, citing the 50 to 70 million litres of primary treated effluent that is discharged daily into the Petitcodiac River.

According to LeBlanc, the watershed audit performed by the Riverkeeper also enabled the group to arrive at four other findings regarding the state of the Petitcodiac River ecosystem in 2002. "Our first finding is that every pollution problem identified in our report has a recognised and documented solution which can be implemented", said LeBlanc.

"Secondly, these solutions appear not to have been implemented yet in our watershed either as a result of weak environmental policy by governments serving this region or a lack of environmental law enforcement. Our third finding is that while large and publicly owned infrastructures currently create the greatest environmental damage to our ecosystem, the 'pollution sources of the future' all seem to revolve around development issues". In other words, perhaps the worst side effect of our region's growth, explains LeBlanc, is that these developments often result in severe negative impacts on our ecosystem. "This doesn't need to happen if we create and apply sound environmental management policies for our region".

Finally, the Riverkeeper also notes that the greatest pollution action caused by 'individuals' in the watershed is most probably linked to the ongoing and widespread use of cosmetic pesticides. "Unlike the Town of Shediac, the Village of Caraquet and dozens of other municipalities across Canada that have enacted bans on the use of cosmetic pesticides in their jurisdictions, no actions have yet been taken in that direction by municipalities of this watershed", remarks LeBlanc.

"Our intention is to continue publishing the 10 Worst Pollution Source list on an annual basis, said LeBlanc, with the hope that those who appear on it will take corrective measures to eliminate their harm to the ecosystem". Two days ago, the Riverkeeper also announced the 2002 recipient of their newly created Petitcodiac River Award, Dieppe's l'École Amirault, to recognise those that have made significant contributions towards the protection of the Petitcodiac ecosystem.

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INFORMATION:
Daniel LeBlanc, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper
(506) 388-5337
www.petitcodiac.org