Mi'gmaq chiefs and local environmental advocates are pushing back against NB Power's proposed 500-megawatt gas plant on the Chignecto Isthmus, warning of risks to ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, and Indigenous rights. They say the project cannot move ahead without an Indigenous-led impact review.
The facility, slated for construction and operation by Missouri-based PROENERGY under a 25-year deal, would burn fracked gas from Alberta in 10 turbines, with a three-million-gallon diesel reserve for backup.
Elsipogtog First Nation and Indigenous rights group Kopit Lodge have filed a comment with federal regulators noting that they and the broader Mi'kmaq community were not consulted about the proposed gas/diesel generating plant on the Chignecto Isthmus, former CBC journalist Bruce Wark reported at Warktimes.
In a news release, the chiefs of Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn Inc. (MTI)-a non-profit representing Mi'gmaq communities in New Brunswick-said consent for the project can only be granted if "Mi'gmaq concerns are meaningfully addressed and impacts on rights are avoided, minimized, and accommodated."
While acknowledging that New Brunswick has growing energy needs and must integrate more renewables onto the grid, the chiefs stressed that "critical issues" must be addressed before the plant proceeds,
Warktimes also reported earlier this month that PROENERGY has not substantiated its claims of Indigenous support. At a Q&A session, Tristan Jackson, CEO of Nikutik Limited Partnership-an Indigenous wealth fund linked to the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council-said the partnership has secured options for equity in the project but has not exercised them.
"I can't speak for the First Nations," he said, stressing that investment options do not equal endorsement.
Last summer, eight MTI chiefs went to court seeking Aboriginal title to more than half the land in New Brunswick, including the 550 acres where PROENERGY plans to build its plant, Warktimes reported.
Local representatives also say the project is being rushed without proper scrutiny.
"It's pretty hard to stomach this being called transparent when it was really sprung on us in the middle of summer and trying to be rushed through in summer when we can't have recording, we can't have journalists record what's happening in this room," MLA Megan Mitton (GPC-Tantramar) said during a public question and answer session attended by about 200 people Wednesday at the Tantramar Civic Centre in Sackville.
PROENERGY barred audio and video recording at the event, Warktimes reported.
"My community won't accept this," Mitton told attendees. "I'm proud of everyone in the room for showing up, being educated, researching this, and asking great questions."
Both Mitton and Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black are calling for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA), beyond the review prepared by PROENERGY for the federal Impact Assessment Agency.
Related: Residents, Experts Rally Against Massive Gas Plant on Sensitive N.B. Isthmus
"A comprehensive review is much more in-depth and it requires extensive public participation as well as consultations with First Nations and much more study," Mitton told Warktimes.
Opponents warn the plant could cause significant harm to wetlands, water systems, and local species. The site is on the Chignecto Isthmus, a low-lying land bridge between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia that contains ecologically sensitive marshlands and provides habitat for migratory birds, fish, and other wildlife. In May, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the federal government announced a $650-million investment to protect the Chignecto Isthmus by mitigating the risk of flooding from rising sea levels in the Bay of Fundy.
In 2019, Global News reported that the isthmus, Nova Scotia's land link to the rest of Canada, is at risk due to sea level rise brought on by climate change.
EOS Eco-Energy, a local non-profit, says the gas plant project threatens waterways that flow into Fundy, where pollution could harm fish stocks and coastal ecosystems. Warktimes reported residents' fears that construction and emissions would disturb bird migration patterns and put pressure on endangered species in the area.
The diesel backup system also raised concerns, with community members warning of the risk of spills contaminating wetlands and groundwater.
PROENERGY representatives have said the effects on birds, fish, other wildlife, and rare plants are being studied as part of the current environmental assessment.
Critics also highlight the plant's climate impact. Though gas burns more cleanly than coal, its combustion would release millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide over the plant's lifetime, and methane leaks from gas extraction and transport could further drive climate change.
"Fossil fuels, including natural gas, are not a good investment," said Barb Clayton, chair of EOS Eco-Energy. She cited Prime Minister Mark Carney's book Value(s), which argues for massive investment in renewables and storage while redirecting capital away from carbon-intensive energy.
[The PM is currently promoting Canadian LNG to a German market-Ed.]
Local groups argue New Brunswick should instead prioritize wind, solar, hydro, and battery storage. "The idea with renewables is that you have to use multiple sources," Clayton told Warktimes.
But Premier Susan Holt has said the gas plant is "the best and easiest way" to add renewable power to the grid quickly by providing backup capacity. Batteries would be insufficient during severe weather storms, the gas plant's proponents say.
Source: The Energy Mix
