Wetland Filled for Regatta Event

(Riverview - August 2, 2001) - The Petitcodiac Riverkeeper suspects that in order to set up extra bleachers and a concert tent, organisers of last week's regatta event in Riverview filled a wetland along the Petitcodiac River.

Two days prior to the regatta event, while being interviewed by media on aspects of water quality in the Petitcodiac headpond, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper Executive Director Daniel LeBlanc noticed what appeared to be heavy equipment working near a watercourse and filling a wetland. Once the interview was over, Daniel LeBlanc made his way to the site and quickly saw that the activity was taking place within 30 metres of a watercourse, the maximum limit set under New Brunswick's Clean Water Act. In freshwater wetland, a fragile constituent of our ecosystem.

"I immediately alerted the Department of the Environment who confirmed that the owners were proceeding with the development without having been given an environmental permit, explains LeBlanc. On the next day, a representative of the Department of the Environment and Local Government proceeded to the area to investigate and confirmed that the site was indeed a wetland. Unfortunately, once at the site the inspector observed that most of the damage had already been done, and that a major portion of this wetland had been filled. The Department has now begun an investigation to determine whether any charges will be laid."

"This demonstrates once again that the organisers of the regatta event showed a lack of respect towards basic environmental regulations, claims LeBlanc. To fill a wetland is illegal and irresponsible in itself and in this case we are talking about making space for extra bleachers for a boat race. New Brunswick and the Petitcodiac River system have lost many of its wetlands in the past decades, and its always shocking to see another part of this natural heritage disappear in such a cavalier fashion," concludes LeBlanc.

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INFORMATION :

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