Mt. Uniacke Quarry Expansion Project (from 4ha - 40ha) - PART 2 of 6

PUBLIC CONCERNS OF NON-COMPLIANCE by NCCI...this is definitely a box NOT checked. The very first issue of concern on this subject is the way we, as area residents, were made aware of NCCI's intent to apply for an expansion permit of said industrial activity. In NSE's "EA.Guide-RegistrationDocumentation-Pits/Quarry" it states in Section 4 on Public Awareness: "proponents 'are required' to post an official notification through "two" newspaper advertisements (one with circulation in the vicinity of the undertaking and one with province-wide circulation). "Area residents vetting this compliance requirement have had it confirmed by a staff member of the Chronicle-Herald (Tara Robitaille/tara.robitaille@saltwire.com) after having conducted a search of their database, they have no record of a company known as Northumberland Capital Corp. Inc having placed a notice of any type during the month of April or early part of May. The "second required ad" in the vicinity of the undertaking (this would be the "Uniacke Newsletter"). It was confirmed by Newsletter staff, that no contact was initiated by NCCI to post such a notification.The public of Mount Uniacke had only been made aware of NCCI's intent to expand this aggregate quarry because of the concentrated efforts of a select few area residents who got wind of it through an email sent by Mr. Rodgers to an individual, with a Public Notice attached. If not for that member bringing the information to the attention of a neighbour, we don't know how else NCCI's "so called" public awareness event, would've had anyone showing up for it. A passage from Mr. Rodgers' email (in the week of April 25, 2022) to a CLC member read, "I wanted to reach out to our CLC members first in advance to it hitting the paper next Tuesday" (end quote from Mr. Rodgers' email). Mr. Rodgers mentions "in advance to it hitting the paper next Tuesday" - Tuesday being May 3rd, we can only assume? Yet, the staff member at the Chronicle-Herald, when it was being queried as to the existence of a notification of expansion being submitted by NCCI, said it couldn't be found! This is something, we would assume, that staff of NSE will want to verify. Also, we want it known to NSE that although we've now seen this very official-looking "Notice of Public Open House, Mount Uniacke Quarry Expansion Project" - created by NCCI, (as it was the email attachment mentioned above), giving particulars of meeting place, date and time. Complete with an image of a quarry in operation, followed by three paragraphs that outlines first what the project is and why and that there will be an EA process involved, saying - you're encouraged to participate in helping identify issues, concerns, etc. While the three paragraphs and overall "Notice" are very professional-looking with a great deal of "positive" language - no one in the Community had seen it themselves until one individual got a hold of it and started putting copies of it around the Community. TO BE CLEAR.......NCCI wasn't responsible for doing that. It is our understanding that this very-well-put-together "Notice" was sent to ONLY a select few persons. Who? we do not know! We ask the officials of NSE and others reading this information, what possible reason would NCCI have to gain by doing up such a Notice and then NOT ensuring it was posted throughout the Community of Mount Uniacke for those concerned persons who may want to do just that, "participate"? It is clear to most, there is only one reason and the only one that should be clear to those officials of NSE reading these concerns and that was for NCCI to have a professional, warm and welcoming "Notice of Intention to Expand" created to present to NSE with their application. Intensions to cover their response to the NSE question, "what steps did you take to notify the public and encourage any concerns the public might have"? And, for a little extra insurance, they made sure that a few select people received the Notice as an attachment in the email, as mentioned above, just so they could say that they did! NSE needs to verify these two ads. If NSE is able to verify that indeed NCCI did submit a notice to the Chronicle-Herald that still leaves the omission of the second required notice in a local publishing the Uniacke Newsletter. That definitely wasn't done! It would be difficult for the public involved here to understand how NSE can see this in any other light other than what it is, "non-compliance" with a requirement of their own EA registration process (first steps). To reiterate, it was only through the quick efforts of a few concerned area residents who started putting public notices up in key areas of the community and posting info on social media sites, did the public of Mount Uniacke become aware of the meeting date. Those who found out "by chance" had no opportunity to put awareness of the intent of the meeting in the community Newsletter as the deadline for submissions for the month of May had come and gone for them, however, NCCI, on the other hand, knew of their intent and had time to plan and submit to the Uniacke Newsletter for the month of April's publishing and failed to do so.

Part 2 (go to Part 3)