WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

NSECC is currently "supposedly" investigating NCCI for those mentioned violations, as of October 6, 2023. Site violations, as well as violations of their required Community Liaison Committee (CLC).

Many community members wrote to NSECC last November to inquire about the investigation into all of the "alleged" violations and to question other issues found within government documents relating to this quarry and its failings to this community. To date, no one inquiring has received a response to their questions!! Yet, NCCI operates business as usual, every day. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE behavious by our government leaders that we put into office and who work for us!

As a member of this community, this should be concerning to you!

In light of the fact that "IF" this quarry gets its sought-after "ten times expansion" license, they will be in this community doing God only knows what irreparable harm for decades to come! More, of what is "supposedly now" under investigation - and they "most likely" WILL get it if, as in 2015, not enough members of this community stand up to say NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY!!!

We must make our government, NSECC, answer why they bend over backwards to accommodate these proponents while ignoring the valid questions based on facts from its citizens. The tax revenue cannot be that great. This operation can find another location, not in the midst of an already thriving community where the only access in and out of a thriving community where the only access in and out of the quarry site is a shared, poorly-built, County gravel roadway!

NCCI's past "reckless" behaviours and lack of empathy for the rights and freedoms of this community and the people have already been proven in the nine years they've been licensed to operate here. The only clear predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour!

To clarify, the word "alleged" must be used UNTIL, despite the photographic evidence clearly depicting the violations, and despite members of the community "knowing" the violations exist, yet UNTIL NSECC has made a formal "DECLARATION" to those same community members, we must continue to use this word "alleged" for legal reasons. To date, no such "declaration" or acknowledgement has been made by our government body. It is not surprising why - the writing is on the wall, folks! It would appear to be the only reason that explains why six months later, NSECC appears hesitant to commit to any written response to the many valid questions asked.

ALARMING new information - Community members have recently found out, through our MLA< Brad Johns, that new information he is receiving from NSECC staff, indicates that NCCI is attempting to have Environment believe that many of these "alleged" violations are "justified" because they (NCCI) have licenses to run two separate businesses on the approved rock quarry site. While this has not "yet" been proven or disproved, our MLA finds it alarming that NSECC seems to be generally buying into their defense. For those who have been well informed of NCCI's 2015 aggregate quarry operating approval, it is a certainty to them that there is nothing in their aggregate approval that allows operation of any other type of business. Nonetheless, it is concerning given NSECC staff's penchant for accepting "whatever" NCCI tells them at face value.

While it is common knowledge to some, that the operators of NCCI are also the owners of other businesses, there has never been any knowledge of businesses, there has never been any knowledge of them having licenses to operate any other business in the Mount Uniacke site location other than an aggregate quarry. The Rodgers' brothers, owners and operators of NCCI quarry also are owners of Maritime Aggregate Inc. and Allterrain Contracting Inc. (previously Allterrain Landscaping), both currently registered and "active" with the Province as NCCI is, in terms of their registered business names. There is another name - Earthco Premium Soils Inc., located in Lower Sackville - also current and "active" with the Province. While not showing Andrew and Jason Rodgers as owner / operators, it does show Dennis B. Rodgers - connected, no doubt. If you've never noticed, the next time you're on your way over to WalMart in Bedford Commons, look to your left as you come up past the storage business property. Earthco is just up ahead. You may notice some of their trucks as ones often seen traveling through our community since 2015.

It would be difficult to imagine that neither our Province nor Municipality would issue licenses to any business that would allow, or condone, the deumping and burying of construction-type materials anywhere on their approved site location (in or outside their work parameters). This includes "toxic" materials removed from one of their "All Terrain Construction" worksites in Halifax, trucked and dumped at the quarry site.

This information was disclosed to community members through NSECC's own file, accessed by paid request. Or, that would allow having a refueling station sitting on the outside parameter of the work site. All of these alleged "violations" perched above the headwaters of the Sackville River and sensitive, protected wetlands located there!

Apparently, not so "protected" - and now NCCI is attempting to persuade our government body that these acts of dumping and burying are "justified" because of a second business license they have for the same location????"Stop the Quarry Expans"?

Folks, just because NSECC takes whatever is told to them by this approval-holder at face value, without verifying, doesn't mean the community must - and THEY CANNOT be allowed to get away with "conveniently" mixing the licenses of their other businesses with that of a quarry site, to benefit their own end goals!

THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNT ON THIS FARCE!!

That is why members of your community have reached out to the Municipality of East Hants (MEH) to investigate this "alleged" second business operating at, or near, the quarry site to verify its existence, and even if it does exist, does it have the "legal" authority to dump and bury toxic waste materials in and around areas that can leech into the ground and end up in feeder brooks up there that then feed into our waterways? Just to name a couple of effects where some of us draw water into our homes for our household uses, where it can leech into sensitive wetland areas and eco-systems in and around the headwaters of the Sackville River located nearby the quarry site.

MEH's Development Officer, Kelly Ash, is currently conducting a review of the site and will inform these community members of those findings. When results are known, they will be posted here.

Our area Councilors - Michael Perry mperry@easthants.ca and Eli Moussa emoussa@easthants.ca have both been copied on all MEH correspondence on this matter. Feel free to reach out to them if you have questions concerning this or any other questions concerning the quarry.

PLEASE LEND YOUR SUPPORT to this opposition if this information helped give you insight into the plight of your community. WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW!!! Thank you in advance.

If you take a little time to visit the Newsletter's online site, you'll find there some other insightful articles with photos. Also, there's a community Facebook group you can join to stay informed of new developments. Search "Stop the Quarry Expansion" (355 members)

For your convenience, should you wish to write to our leaders and others involved in this decision, to let them know your thoughts or ask questions of your own that you may need answers, here's a list to send your emails to: if you go to this article on the Newsletter's online version uniackenewsletter.ca you can copy/paste from there in one scoop and paste right into your address box. Quick and convenient. If you don't feel comfortable including the media address, omit them. The most important thing is tha tyou send support "in opposition" to the government parties involved before it's too late!!!

WE CANNOT WAIT UNTIL SPRING - THAT MAY BE TOO LATE!

Minister.Environment@novascotia.ca timehalmanmla@gmail.com PREMIER@novascotia.ca MIN_CCTH@novascotia.ca Mlamacmaster@bellaliant.com publicworksminister@novascotia.ca Kim.maslandmla@gmail.com Adrian.Fuller@novascotia.ca Samantha.Robichaud@novascotia.ca Lynn.Bowen@novascotia.ca bridget.tutty@novascotia.ca Uniacke.Estate@novascotia.ca emoussa@easthants.ca mperry@easthants.ca eroulston@easthants.ca jwoodford@easthants.ca mlabradjohns@gmail.com mlahantseast@gmail.com melissa.mlaoffice@gmail.com ca@zachchurchill.com claudiachendermla@gmail.com gpns@greenpartyns.ca sackvillerivers@ns.sympatico.ca reporter.pathealey@gmail.com Heidi.petracek@globalnews.ca Paul.Palmeter@cbc.ca suzanne@halifaxexaminer.ca Luke.Ettinger@cbc.ca Joanna@ecologyaction.ca