Cape Breton Regional Municipality
320 Esplanade
Sydney NS B1P 7B9
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Dear Mayor Morgan,
We live in the Community of Upper Leitches Creek, near a quarry mined by Alva Construction. Just about everybody in the community has said “no” to Alva’s activity, via letters, a petition, and a partial blockade. It is undemocratic for the government to allow the operation to continue. That said, Alva’s trucks were on the road before 7 a. m. today, again. These trucks break the speed limit, sometimes with double loads of rock (which although not illegal is certainly unsafe on a poorly maintained road, with blind crests, the shoulder washed out by heavy rain, etc.). Furthermore, they often drive on the wrong side (or middle) of the road. Young children live on this road, and we implore you to consider their safety.
320 Esplanade
Sydney NS B1P 7B9
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Dear Mayor Morgan,
We live in the Community of Upper Leitches Creek, near a quarry mined by Alva Construction. Just about everybody in the community has said “no” to Alva’s activity, via letters, a petition, and a partial blockade. It is undemocratic for the government to allow the operation to continue. That said, Alva’s trucks were on the road before 7 a. m. today, again. These trucks break the speed limit, sometimes with double loads of rock (which although not illegal is certainly unsafe on a poorly maintained road, with blind crests, the shoulder washed out by heavy rain, etc.). Furthermore, they often drive on the wrong side (or middle) of the road. Young children live on this road, and we implore you to consider their safety.
Upper Leitches Creek used to be an idyllic forest retreat. That peace has been robbed from us. The joy of walking along the road, encountering wildlife, fishing, etc., have all been robbed from us. The mined land used to be a beautiful forest. There used to be a grove of enormous old pine trees that our forefathers and members of this community treasured. But the whole ecosystem has been totally erased! The profiteering brutality that Alva shows this land ought to be illegal. If Cape Breton Island is to have a future at all, we have to take care of the land upon which we depend.
Our family owns another piece of land, more than 80 ha, next to the quarry, and we would appreciate access to any record of regulatory control. Is the Department of Environment and Labour monitoring the effects on the streams in this area? The residents of Upper Leitches Creek are gravely concerned for the safety of their water supply. Has there been any ongoing environmental standard for this operation? Why do we pay for government departments that do nothing more than rubber-stamp the destructive exploitation of Cape Breton?
If you care at all about the principle of democracy, and if you believe that our community needs a healthy environment, then by all means start taking effective action on behalf of Upper Leitches Creek.
Sincerely,
[guess who]
cc:
David M. Morse, 8994 Commercial St., New Minas NS B4N 3E2
Esmond Marshall, 127 Beach Road, Eskasoni NS B1W 1A5
Gary Lunn, 207 Confederation Building, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
John Baird, Environment Canada, Ottawa ON K1A 0H3
Keith Bain, 1551 Old Route 5, Big Bras D’Or NS B1X 1B5
Mark Eyking, 383 Confedeation Bldg., Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
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