Many folks from various walks of life on and
around Digby Neck area have voiced their fears and
heart-felt concerns by writing letters to local and
national newspapers. We have added some of the comments
and views here. The articles could not be fully
written for reading on these pages( used excerpts) but we are sure
you will be able to read between the
lines and begin to understand the plight of our situation.
...." SAVE OUR OWN NECK " by Noah Richler "....A quarry could soon ruin the timeless tranquillity and beauty of Digby Neck. ....STOP THE QUARRY signs are posted on lawns from Digby to Freeport.. ..Consider this scheme again: Nova Scotia is planniing to give away 120 hectares of ...I think of Fog Magic, and how the politicians' work has buried this peninsula
"COMMUNITY VOICE NOT BEING HEARD.."by Arthur Bull The community of Digby Neck and Islands is strongly opposed to this project. This project is clearly about more than just a four-hectare gravel quarry. According to the federal "Human Resources Development Commission", So, does the community have good information on the issue? Clearly not...
( a literary columnist for the National Post)Written Aug.11/02
It's not just the locals who are angry. Faithful summer visitors are, too..
-and have done so for generations, now -- to the prettily kept, century old,
white clapboard homes that run the length of the peninsula. Many are
Americans, as Julia Sauer was,(author of Fog Magic..) and their ties here
reflect the traditionally latitudinal relationships of Canadian provinces and American states.
.... The citizens of the Neck now stand at a crossroads, remarkable unified before a
misconceived plan of an American company to develop a massive basalt quarry at
the hamlet of Little River that will throw all forms of life here into
jeopardy and return next to nothing to local residents..
..What is remarkable about this story---and also not---is the contempt in which
the ministers David Morse and Gordon Balser appear to be holding their constituents...
basalt for nothing and will be devastating the environment of Digby Neck, and
the sustainable fishing and tourist industries that depend on it, in the process..
in another kind of obfuscating cloud. It's not too late to
save the Neck."
" Ocean Views/Digby Courier "(June 5/02)
There are serious questions about its effect on fish habitat, especially lobster and
herring, and the sustainable livlihoods that depend on it. Other concerns have to do
with water quality and levels, ecotourism, right whales, possible increased truck traffic
on the highway, and the release of ballast from ships. Because of its
unique geography, Digby Neck economies and ecology are more vulnerable to
damage than other areas.
The kind of quanities described could only be extracted from a much bigger
operation. Given that Digby Neck and Islands has the highest non-resident land
ownership density in the province, and that the basalt geology is basically the same
all along the mountain, there seems a real possiblity that this project
is just the beginning of a much bigger operation. There is much more at
stake here than just one gravel pit. There is little chance of
significant job creation from this project. A similar project in Bayside, N.B.,
according to local organizations and individuals, resulted in a net loss of
local jobs.
pits and quarries only generate 170 jobs for the whole Nova Scotia!
...Far from participating in public decision-making, community members are left simply
trying to be heard at all. It's as if they are raising
their right hands and saying, " Hello, someone is living here." Clearly, not
all government has grasped the idea that communities should be little more
involved in the decisions that affect their future environments and livlihoods. Seems they
still have a little ways to go yet.
DIGBY NECK'S VULNERABLE HABITAT MAY BE SACRIFICED FOR FAST BUCK..." I was asked to chair the committee of concerned citizens who are ....I became a little wary of what is going on on Digby Neck .....Life for me is not some kind of war whereby we spend .....I am determined to work to protect the human habitat on Digby Neck,
By Tony Kelly...Digby Courier..(June 5/02)
anxious about the impacts of the proposed mega-quarry on Digby Neck.
Being a fourth generation Digby Necker, I am mindful in a special way
of my duty to be a good and responsible steward of
the place I call home, my father, and grandfather before him called home..
when I became aware just over a year ago of the extent
of land speculation happening in these parts. I investigated and before long,
my worst suspicions were confirmed. Speculation was not happening simply to
turn a fast but on the real estate market, but to gain
control over large tracts of land in order to set up an
export quarry. Someone was in our midst, intent on gobbling up the
shoreline, chewing it up and then shipping it down the coast to the U.S.
our time destroying the lifegiving systems we inherit from the earth and
from our ancestors. Life is a miracle. Because life is a
miracle, we must work to protect it from harm. And that to
me is basic. Life is indeed a miracle and when it is
threatened we should cling to our moral sensibility.
the gift of my ancestors, so that four generations down the road
someone, a child perhaps, will look back an say, " I'm sure glad
there are good folk everywhere back in 2002 prepared to do the
right thing". When the child looks back, she will be standing on
solid rock overlooking the gorgeous sunsets along the horizon of
the Bay of Fundy.
" APPEALING TO PREMIER TO REJECT QUARRY..."
by Dr.MaryMcCarthy--Digby Courier
( Copy of letter..(in part..) sent to Premier John Hamm)
You have recently expresssed your appreciation of the natural beauty of Nova Scotia,
the country you must be proud to head as premier. It was
heartening to note that at the recent premiers' meeting, you took pleasure
in showcasing the magnificent landscapes and rich hertiage of this wonderful land.
...I hereby appeal to you to promote the development of sustainable industry
in our rural communities. The plan to ravage and destroy the rich
ecology of scenic Digby Neck by allowing the U.S.company,"Clayton Concrete",
to operate an export quarry at or near Little River is
preposterous..
....A study of the economy and lifestyle of the community on
Digby Neck and the Islands would certainly show a group of people
actively making a decent living while safeguarding their natural heritage.
I appeal to you to take action to avert the destruction that
will emanate from this quarry project. Kindly work for the preservation and
the conservation of the natural beauty and resources of Digby Neck and
Islands which has so much to offer its residents and visitors.
Surely, you will want it to remain on historic record that your
government took positive action to protect the natural heritage of Digby Neck
and the Islands for this and future generations.
"THERE'S NEVER BEEN A POPULAR QUARRY" Premier John Hamm said problems of quarry development in this area are not unique. Hamm would not comment on whether he supports the proposed quarry,
..written by journalist from Digby Courier(July/02)
The premier, who was in Digby last week, said " there
has never been a popular quarry in Nova Scotia."
Some residents of Digby Neck as well as some members of
the Municipality of Digby council have called for more control over
such developments as pits and quarries, but Hamm said he doesn't
see that as a solution. He said the province has retained control
of these regulations so that they are uniform throughout the province.
but said the company will be held to provincial rules and regulations.
