News Release
Petitcodiac causeway continues to top “pollution” list
Region lagging decades behind others according to Riverkeeper

(Moncton, January 31, 2006) – The Petitcodiac, Memramcook and Shepody causeways, sewage discharges, urban sprawl, abandoned dams and pesticides continued to harm the Petitcodiac River ecosystem in 2005, according to a report unveiled today by the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper.

The fourth annual exercise conducted by the Riverkeeper to identify the issues that have the greatest negative impact on the Petitcodiac River ecosystem, its “10 Worst Pollution Sources” list, is meant to educate the public on the most urgent environmental issues facing the watershed and encourage the parties responsible for the negative impacts to take corrective action.

The term ‘pollution source’ employed by Petitcodiac Riverkeeper in its report refers to an activity by individuals, corporations or public agencies that has caused or 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 3,000 km2 Watershed and its tributaries that comprise the Petitcodiac River, Memramcook River and Shepody River ecosystems).

“Over 90 percent of the damage to the Petitcodiac River system is caused by governments”, says Riverkeeper Daniel LeBlanc. Public agencies such as the Province of New Brunswick, the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission and municipalities were again signalled out in the report for continuing to lead the pack of the region’s “worst polluters” in 2005. The Top-10 list reads as follows (with the full report available on the Riverkeeper’s web site – www.petitcodiac.org):

The 10 Worst Pollution Sources in 2005 Responsible Party(ies)/Owner(s)

Two of the top-three worst pollution sources, the Petitcodiac causeway and leachate discharges from the former Moncton landfill, have been determined to be in violation of the federal Fisheries Act. “It’s taking more time than we had anticipated to get these offenders to comply,” admits the Riverkeeper. “Our region is not leading by example.”

In fact, since first publishing their annual list in 2002, none of worst offenders have even moved according to the Riverkeeper. “We’re seeing a lot of talk by the regulators, but the reality is that the ecosystem is in much worst state than it was 4, 10 or 20 years ago,” says LeBlanc. “We see a lot of movement on the Miramichi and elsewhere in Canada and the United States to restore fish passage in obstructed waterways, but this region is lagging decades behind,” he adds.

Since Bernard Lord’s 1999 election promise to conduct a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the Petitcodiac River, an astounding 14 million cubic metres of silt is believed to have deposited in the River as a result of the causeway according to the recent EIA study. Invasive species have also continued to proliferate in the river’s headwaters and the Petitcodiac was declared Canada’s Most Endangered River in 2003.

Regardless of this bleak picture, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper is still keeping hope. Last week, the organisation announced the 2005 recipient of the Petitcodiac River Award, which was given this year to the Province of New Brunswick to recognise its leadership role in completing the comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment that recommends opening the Petitcodiac causeway. Riverkeeper expects an announcement this winter on the restoration of the river that will enable life to be brought again to the ailing Petitcodiac.

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INFORMATION:

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