News Release Archive
TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--CORRECTED-TAR PONDS RELATED FUNDING
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The Nova Scotia, federal and municipal governments today
announced funding of $1.67 million to support a number of
initiatives recommended by a special community-based citizens
group looking for solutions to clean-up the Sydney tar ponds and
related areas.
The announcement was made in Sydney by Nova Scotia Transportation
and Public Works Minister Don Downe, federal Health Minister
David Dingwall, federal Environment Minister Sergio Marchi, and
Mayor John Coady of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
The support by the three governments is in response to
recommendations from the citizens-based Joint Action Group (JAG)
on the Environmental Clean-up of the Muggah Creek Watershed,
which includes the tar ponds.
"The Province of Nova Scotia is proud to be a key partner in
helping the Joint Action Group develop community solutions for a
problem that has existed all too long," said Mr. Downe. "The
provinces's half million dollar contribution is an important part
of turning JAG's priorities into realities for the people of
Sydney."
Mr. Dingwall called the shared funding commitment an excellent
example of what can be accomplished through community action in
partnership with governments.
Mr. Dingwall said that the commitments made by Health Canada show
that his department is working closely with the Joint Action
Group, which is striving to understand the health challenges
facing the area. "As minister of health my priority is the health
of all Canadians and I see the recommendations put forward by JAG
as a key step in our understanding of the health impacts on the
people in this community."
Mr. Marchi said, "Cleaning up the tar ponds and the other
contaminated areas within the Muggah Creek watershed is not only
a regional issue but deserves a national response. Our response
reflects confidence in the work of the Joint Action Group which
has demonstrated that a community-based approach to environmental
problems can produce concrete results that benefit local
residents."
Mayor Coady said, "The Cape Breton Regional Municipality believes
in involving the greater community in the resolution of a myriad
of issues. "We fully support the initiatives of the Joint Action
Group in the knowledge the this environmental problem must
finally be remediated within the context of the community. The
progress made by JAG is inspiring given the divergence of opinion
within the group and the recommendations presented today are
based on local knowledge and supported by the people most
directly impacted by the problem."
The interim chair of JAG said the group's "members are very
pleased to see that all three levels of government are taking an
active role in our work. Together we are progressing towards
improving the health and environment of our community."
The initiatives announced today continue the process started last
August when the Joint Action Group was formed. Activities for
both the short and long term have been identified.
Support to the recommendations of the Joint Action Group
includes:
-$750,000 over three years from the Nova Scotia and federal
governments towards operation of a secretariat to support the
Joint Action Group. The Cape Breton Regional Municipality will
provide in-kind services to the secretariat worth $375,000 over
the same period;
-$195,000 to respond to the Health Studies Working Group
recommendations. Health Canada actions include:
-$70,000 for a review of all existing studies and data on the
Cape Breton County area at the University College of Cape Breton
(UCCB);
-$25,000 to update the Cancer Registry for the period 1965-1995;
and
-$100,000 to assist the Health Study Working Group to develop the
study requirements for the priority diseases.
-$250,000 from the Province of Nova Scotia, Environment Canada,
and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to support the
recommendations from other Working Groups. Initiatives include:
-$100,000 to monitor the movement of contaminated water
(leachate) from the municipal landfill into the watershed;
-$100,000 to pre-design a sewer collector system to reduce the
discharges of raw sewage into Muggah Creek; and
-$50,000 for a sampling and chemical analysis program to
determine the amount of contamination of the tanks, other
structures and piles of coal, coke and sulphur on the site of
former coke ovens.
-The three levels of government will also provide $100,000 in the
1997/98 fiscal year to undertake a community education and safety
awareness program in the Muggah Creek watershed area.
Mr. Dingwall and Mr. Marchi also committed that further actions
will be considered as appropriate recommendations come forward.
Initiatives dealing with security around the former coke ovens,
an additional site assessment, remedial options technology
demonstration projects at the site and complete and appropriate
health studies are all under consideration by the Joint Action
Group.
All of the initiatives announced today are a direct result of the
cooperative efforts of the community working through the Joint
Action Group; and working with its federal, provincial, and
municipal partners to make Sydney a cleaner and healthier place
to live.
Government funding for the various initiatives has been provided
for in the respective budgets of the federal, provincial and
municipal governments.
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Contacts: Murray MacGray 902-424-2904
Chris Welner 902-424-8687
Franca Gatto 613-957-0200
Roger White 819-997-1441
Don Ferguson 902-426-4097
Garth Bangay 902-426-7475
Jerry Ryan 902-536-5006
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BACKGROUNDER
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO MUGGAH CREEK WATERSHED INITIATIVES
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On Aug. 12, 1996, Federal Environment Minister Sergio Marchi,
Federal Health Minister David Dingwall, Nova Scotia
Transportation and Public Works Minister Don Downe, Nova Scotia
Health Minister Bernie Boudreau and Nova Scotia Economic Renewal
Minister Richie Mann met community leaders in Sydney, to listen
to concerns and discuss options regarding the clean-up of toxic
contamination around the tar ponds and the coke ovens situations.
At this meeting the three levels of government announced a new
"community-based approach", and committed to work in partnership
with the community to find an environmentally-acceptable and
healthy situation to effectively deal with the tar ponds and coke
ovens site. A Joint Action Group (JAG) of community and
government representatives was established and in the months
since, several standing working groups evolved from this core
group to deal with the central issues and to develop action plans
to address the cleanup. Some of the areas examined include:
governance, environmental data gathering, health studies, public
education and participation and site security.
GOVERNMENT FUNDING
In response to the recommendations of the JAG members, The
Province of Nova Scotia will provide $375,000 and Health Canada
and Environment Canada will jointly provide $375,000 in
administrative support to the Joint Action Group over three
years. These funds will contribute to the operation of the
full-time secretariat office located in City Hall, Sydney. The
funds will be contributed over the next three years. The Cape
Breton Regional Municipality is providing office space, office
equipment and other in-kind support totalling $375,000 as part of
its contribution to the secretariat.
In addition to this administrative support, Health Canada will
support a review, at the University College of Cape Breton, of
all existing health studies and data on the Cape Breton County
area. Health Canada has committed more than $70,000 to this
initiative which will conducted over a two-year period. To date,
Health Canada has provided UCCB with documentation for over 130
studies of health and environmental issues.
Health Canada will also update the Cancer Registry for the period
1965-95 at a cost of $25,000. This will assist in evaluating the
geographic distribution of cancer in the community. Additional
funding of $100,000 will be made available to investigate
mortality patterns, including those for cancer, in the region.
Health Canada will provide its expertise and resources to
continue to work with the Joint Action Group and the Health
Studies Working Group to develop the study requirements for the
priority diseases.
Environment Canada is working with others to compile all existing
environmental information pertaining to the tar ponds and Muggah
Creek Watershed for use by JAG and its working groups, and is
evaluating any information gaps which may be addressed through
further study. Environment Canada will continue to provide its
expertise and resources to work with the Joint Action Group and
its working groups.
The Province of Nova Scotia, Environment Canada and the Cape
Breton Regional Municipality will cost-share, equally, the
monitoring of the movement of contaminated water (leachate) from
the municipal landfill into the watershed. The total contribution
is $100,000.
The three levels of government will also cost share the
pre-design of a sewer collection system to reduce the discharge
of raw sewage into Muggah Creek. The total contribution is
$100,000.
The provincial government and Environment Canada will each
provide $25,000 for a sampling and chemical analysis program to
determine the extent of the contamination of the tanks, other
structures, and piles of coal, coke and sulphur on the site of
the former coke ovens.
The Province of Nova Scotia, Health Canada, Environment Canada
and the Regional Municipality will cost-share a contribution of
$100,000 in the 1997-98 fiscal year to a working group to
undertake a range of activities designed to increase public
awareness of, and participation in, the issues related to the
Muggah Creek watershed area and the activities of the Joint
Action Group.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR JOINT ACTION GROUP
1996-97
Governance (JAG Operations)-$75,000 (Province of Nova Scotia)
37,500 (Environment Canada)
37,500 (Health Canada)
75,000, in-kind (Regional
Municipality)
Environmental data (leachate study)
$10,000 (Province of Nova Scotia)
10,000 (Environment Canada)
10,000 (Regional Municipality)
Site security (Sampling program at Coke Ovens)
$25,000 (Province of Nova Scotia)
25,000 (Environment Canada)
Health Studies
$50,000 (Health Canada)
1997-98
Governance (JAG Operations)
$150,000 (Province of Nova Scotia)
75,000 (Health Canada)
75,000 (Environment Canada)
150,000, in-kind (Municipality)
Environmental Data
(Leachate Studies) $23,300 (Province of Nova Scotia)
23,300 (Environment Canada)
23,300 (Regional Municipality)
(Sewer pre-design) $33,300 (Province of Nova Scotia)
33,300 (Environment Canada)
33,300 (Regional Municipality)
Public Education/
Participation $30,000 (Province of Nova Scotia)
30,000 (Health Canada)
30,000 (Environment Canada)
10,000 (Regional Municipality)
Health Studies $145,000 (Health Canada)
1998-99
Governance (JAG operations) $150,000 (Province of Nova Scotia)
75,000 (Environment Canada)
75,000 (Health Canada)
150,000, in-kind( Municipality)
THREE YEAR TOTALS
Province of Nova Scotia---$496,600
Health Canada 412,500
Environment Canada 309,100
C.B. Regional Municipality 76,600 plus $375,000 in-kind
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trp Jan. 30, 1997 - 3:50 p.m.
