ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE - OFFICE OF THE MINISTER
The following letter was forwarded to the Uniacke Newlsetter by a concerned resident of Mount Uniacke regarding the proposed continuation of the "active quarry" within our community. It has been shared with us so everyone can be informed of what is going on.
Hopefully more residents will be encouraged to send their concerns / questions to the Environment and Climate Change Office of the Minister, PO Box 442, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2P8
File number: PNS-43657 0 NICON8
July 22, 2024
Dear........
Thank you for your email dated June 9, 2024, regarding concerns related to the Mount Uniacke Quarry. I appreciate you taking the time to bring your concerns to my attention. I am responding on behalf of the Premier.
The Mount Uniacke Quarry holds an active Industrial Approval with Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change to operate their quarry. Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change regulates the construction, operation and reclamation of quarries in Nova Scotia under the Activities Designation Regulation, made pursuant by the Environment Act. Approvals are issued by the department with terms and conditinons that the approved holder is required to follow.
On October 6, 2023, the Environmental Assessment (EA) process was suspended in accordance with the Section 34(5) of the Environment Act. The process remains suspended at this time. When I, as Minister, am satisfied that the company is in compliance with the Environment Act and Regulations, the EA process will resume. Please see our website for updates on this file - Mount Uniacke Quarry Expansion / Environmental Assessment / Nova Scotia Environment.
Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change Environment Offcers have been working on this file and actively reviewing and responding to all complaints, correspondence, and documentation submitted to the department. As indicated in your email, there have been alleged violations provided to the department regarding operations at the Mount Uniacke Quarry. All have been reviewed, with some found not to be within the mandate of the department while others are currently being addressed through the ongoing compliance process with the approved holder.
Please be advised that we are unable to release file specific information through the email request, however, if you wish to request access to these records, you may apply through a formal process administered under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act.
This process protects the privacy of individuals and companies and ensures that records released by the province do not contain personal or private information. Additional information on this process, including a link to the application form, can be found here. Apply to access information under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act (Form 1) - Government of Nova Scotia.
Please be assured that we take our role as regulator seriously. Approved holders must abide with the act and regulations and the terms and conditions of their approvals. If you have any questions relating to the operation of the Mount Uniacke Quarries Industrial Approval, please contact Mariah Hunt, Environment Officer at our Bedford Office at 902-424-7773 or by email at mariah.hunt@novascotia.ca
Sincerely, Honourable Timothy Halman, MLA Minister of Environment and Climate Change
cc Hon. Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia Jeff Dodd, Acting District Manager, ICE, Bedford Office Mariah Hunt, Environment Offices, ICE, Bedford Office
Uniacke Newsletter Editor's Comments: To all people who are reading / have read this letter from Timothy Halman, MLA: Don't be shy and please don't hesitate to send your own letters requesting more and more information from the Minister of Environment and climate change plus the other people listed above. The more letters they receive, the more diligent they will be in ensuring that ALL rules and regulations regarding the quarry qill be followed and adhered to OR they will see the sticky situation that this quarry has created / is creating and that our residents shouldn't have to see their chosen homes, their chosen community, their chosen dreams being dashed to the ground and hopefully STOP the quarry completely. Rosanne Bland, Very Concerned Citizen, Mount Uniacke