Cumberland Bay Seductress
Passion on the shores of Grand Lake By
Gerald R. MacLean
But for one major concern, I am pretty much content with my life. I
am a fortunate man.
What's bothering me is this... each and every year, in the advent of
summer, I feel compelled to entertain an old girlfriend. She has beautiful
dark eyes, fantastically long legs and she moves with the grace of a
ballerina. Although she is aging, admittedly somewhat promiscuous, and
a mother many times over, we have had an ongoing relationship for some
years now. In truth, she doesn't stay with me overly long, despite the
attention I lavish upon her, and I never hear from her throughout the
remainder of the year. Notwithstanding I remain quite helpless; she
beguiles me. I succumb to her wiles every time.
Being a married man, one might think this a shade problematic, but such
is not the case. I have a very understanding wife. It also helps that
this old girl has a 16 inch carapace and a prehensile tail. A huge snapping
turtle, she returns each year to my little stretch of beach here on
Cumberland Bay precisely with the coming of the full moon near the end
of June.
Several nights running she will dig numerous holes, presumably to confuse
predators, finally to deposit her clutch of eggs in a carefully selected
cavity. I attempt to find and to protect her treasure from the local
raccoon family and foxes. In this regard I have been moderately successful,
and most years, 90 days from the date of her visit, I have been thrilled
to observe her incredible loonie-sized miniatures, hatch and make their
perilous journey to the water and the dangers within. I like to think
that a couple of the little guys, given my assistance, will survive
to see maturity and perpetuate the line. This past nesting period she
laid 45 ping-pong ball sized spheres in her chosen spot. Chosen spot
indeed, because incredibly, she selects exactly the same small spot
in the sand year after year.
During my life I have had the good fortune to live and work in every
region of this country. I have also travelled extensively and am well
familiar with every province and territory. We indeed have an incredible
country! A dozen years ago I decided to retire. I was lucky enough to
be able to retire relatively young and was in a position to live wherever
I chose. It was a difficult decision for my wife and I, but eventually
we settled on central New Brunswick. We are both Mari timers and wanted
to live in a rural setting. I wanted to be in a place where I could
engage in three of my great passions; hunting, fishing and sailing.
After a busy life chasing my peripatetic career, my wife is attracted
to the natural surroundings and the quiet that only country living can
provide. And we think this area is the best-kept secret in the nation.
Why am I telling you all this?.... I want you to try to understand the
affection with which we hold this little corner of the world. I am not
much of a churchgoing man, but I feel extremely close to my Creator
here on Cumberland Bay. In the short time I have lived here alongside
this wonderful lake, I have recorded some 66 species of birds and 19
different animals from my kitchen window. Every spring during the freshet
the wood ducks feed in the shallows on my doorstep. I'll be forever
in awe of the moose who like to trundle through my dooryard, and I marvel
at the annual ritual of geese parading their young. I grumble at the
loons for keeping me awake half the night. I am totally charmed by the
deer that choose my back lot to fawn. I often sail all day without sighting
another boat. Then too there is my girlfriend ....
On 9 June past, a public meeting was held at the High School in Chipman.
Sponsored by JD Irving, the purpose of the event was to allay concerns
within the community regarding the location of a proposed industrial
waste dump to be located near the village at head of Grand Lake. In
excess of 600 people attended the meeting...close to 80% of the adult
population of the village I would think. Although in truth, many of
the people present came from lakeside communities and further downriver.
The Irving spokespeople were bombarded with questions; the meeting lasted
in excess of 5 hours. Questions were presented with the same passion
and concern for the land that I have tried to impart in my first few
paragraphs; these people love where they live. The fear on their faces
was transparent. The blandishments of the spokespeople had little salving
effect; they gave it a good try but the meeting failed its purpose.
People departed the room with more concerns than when they had arrived.
Federal Liberal MP Andy Scott and provincial Liberal MLA Eugene McGinley,
representing the riding in their respective legislatures, were in attendance.
Both politicians addressed the gathering, both advocating that the provincial
government launch a separate, unbiased, transparent and comprehensive
environmental impact assessment prior to any approval being granted
to construct such a facility. A mistake on this file could result in
extremely serious irreversible damage to the largest watershed in the
province.
The alarming truth is that despite the potential consequence of error,
this project could receive government approval without a comprehensive
environmental impact assessment. Public perception is that the science
commissioned by the proponent is to be accepted as adequate. The Department
of the Environment will follow its usual protocol; a review panel, made
up principally of "expert" provincial and federal government employees,
will review the science provided by the proponent and judge its veracity.
If, in the opinion of the review panel, further assessment is considered
necessary, the Minister might then order a comprehensive assessment.
(Why a comprehensive environmental impact assessment is not ordered
prior to making such crucial decisions remains unsaid.) In any
event, the final decision will be made, likely at Cabinet level. Bottom
line; the decision will be political. And it may be made without a comprehensive
assessment. Shades of Belledune!
The proposed facility is to be mammoth; football fields of industrial
waste, four and one half stories high, to be dumped in gigantic clay
and polyethylene lined reservoirs. The waste, to be trucked from Irving
Pulp and Paper in Saint John, hundreds of thousands of tons of it, is
laced with industrial chemicals and metals. Provided all goes well and
functions as planned, the leachate (liquid runoff) from the reservoir
is to be collected, treated, and discharged into a small stream that
empties into the lake. It is interesting to note that at this point
in time, the proponent is as yet unsure exactly how the leachate is
to be treated. Why? Because the exact chemical composition of the leachate
cannot be determined until it is first collected. Scary!
Even more scary is the potential for this site to become a dump for
various toxic wastes from any source, possibly (but not restricted
to) the East Coast of North America. This dreadful prospect is possible
because it is perfectly legal for the company, after 5 years of operation,
to apply for a review and changes to their proposal. All it will take
is another "decision".
The proponent assures us the science is good. The discharge, they say,
will be harmless. The chance of error minimal. Torrential downpours
will be contained. The thin poly liners will last indefinitely and will
not fail under the massive pressure. Hurricane and earthquake will be
accommodated. They assure us the lake will not be contaminated. Now
and in perpetuity. However, they will not guarantee the continued
good quality of our drinking water!
We are given assurance without guarantee, science that is yet incomplete,
and asked to accept such unacceptable risk. It is little wonder this
small community is apprehensive and skeptical. How many equally well-researched
projects have proven distressingly inadequate with respect to environmental
effects? A glance at your daily newspaper detailing the latest spill,
release, flare, sinking, accidental discharge, design failure, 'act
of God'... is enough to convince all but the most obtuse. One look at
the condition of our rivers, particularly the Saint John, once the pride
of New Brunswick, once teeming with life, attests to the quality of
our stewardship and decisions past.
To come to the point; this community is afraid, and understandably so.
This colossal dumpsite is to be constructed atop our drinking water.
And worst of all, designed to leach into the Grand Lake watershed! The
people of Saint John should be equally afraid, as should all waterside
communities downstream. The people of this Province should be afraid;
yet another large piece of their heritage may well be placed upon the
altar of industrial expediency.
Poor suffering Grand Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the country
East of Lake Ontario, is already on her knees from years of abuse by
the coal mining and lumber industries. And now the failure of grand
designs and orimulsion has forced our energy starved Province to renew
yet again the license of NB Power's inarguably destructive coal fired
plant at Minto. Undeniably good news for those holding sorely needed
jobs at the plant, but a severe body blow for our heroic Lake. The spew
of poison upon her waters is to continue unabated. Yet she struggles
on; bloodied but unbeaten, down but not out. Are we now to give her
the 'coup de grace'? Of this we are certain, the lake can absorb no
more. It will otherwise soon be dead. As will the waters downstream.
A travesty.
We too understand the industrial imperative. That waste has to go somewhere.
Those jobs are indeed important. And who among us is prepared to go
without toilet paper? But why must we threaten the largest watershed
in the province?
We the people can but place our trust in those elected to make such
crucial decisions and in the good sense and conscience of industry.
Although governments invariably express absolute concern and industry
is ever ready to trumpet its environmental contributions, their collective
record is at best spotty. Let's pray they get this one right.
Grand Lake is a hidden gem and someday this province will recognize
it. Were it situated in the heart of Europe it would likely have been
designated a World Heritage Site long ago. You wouldn't be permitted
to wash your socks in it let alone plunk a massive dumpsite alongside.
The Europeans have learned from their mistakes. So too can we learn
from the mistakes of others. We must. We otherwise could never explain
our reasoning to future generations.Thank you for listening to me. And
please tell me how I am to explain all this to my girlfriend, let alone
all her little ones. They, by the way, have only just emerged. One wonders
what they might face in their projected long lives?
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