Legal representatives for the Sandy Pond Alliance will be in the Federal Court of Canada Circuit Court when it sits in St. John’s this Friday, September 10, to make its case to have the Metalurgical Mining Effluent Regulations removed from the Federal Fisheries Act, as a means to protect Canada’s natural freshwater lakes and ponds from being listed for use as waste sites for poisonous mine and smelter waste. The case will be heard in Newfoundland Supreme Court Chambers on Duckworth Street, St. John’s at 10:00 am, Friday September 10, 2010. Environmentalists and other interested citizens are encouraged to attend.

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The Households and the Environment Survey questioned Canadians about their recycling habits in 2007, but the results weren’t released until now. It found Newfoundland and Labrador households had the worst access to recycling in Canada and that the province has limited ability to recycle the four types of recyclable materials: paper, glass, metal and plastic.

The study found just 71 per cent of homes in Newfoundland and Labrador had access to recycling services versus an average of 95 per cent of households in the rest of Canada. In P.E.I., 100 per cent of homes could access recycling. More>>

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On July 12 the North Eastern Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG-ECP) are meeting in Lenox, Massachusetts to discuss regional issues, including the progress of the regional Climate Change Action Plan. The Atlantic Canadian Sustainable Energy Coalition (ACSEC), a coalition of non-governmental organizations, including Ecology Action Centre, Sierra Club Canada – Atlantic, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, and ECO-PEI has released its 2010 Score Cards for three participants of the NEG-ECP: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. More >>

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In honour of Canada’s 143rd birthday the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), has secured 5 acres (two hectares) of natural habitat in the Grand Codroy Valley on the southwestern coast on the island of Newfoundland. This important estuary is one of 10 Gifts to Canadians announced this week in celebration of Canada Day.

The Chaisson property is located on the south side of the mouth of the Grand Codroy estuary and protects over 40 feet of estuarine shoreline. Combined with the forest located on the northern side of the property, and the estuary, the property provides important staging and nesting habitat for songbirds and especially waterfowl, as well as small mammals. The Grand Codroy estuary is known for its large populations of migrating and nesting waterfowl, lush freshwater marshes, rare plants and many songbirds uncommon to Newfoundland and Labrador. The Nature Conservancy of Canada has identified the Grand Codroy Estuary as a priority site and this recent acquisition brings the total land secured in the area above 500 acres (202 hectares).

Partnership is at the heart of NCC’s work. Many partners have come together to help secure the Chaisson property, including Coleman Group of Companies, Dr. Sargent & Ruth Ann Horwood and Oceanex Inc. But this year, all 10 NCC Gifts to Canadians (one in each province), have also been made possible through the Government of Canada’s Natural Areas Conservation Program. This unique public-private partnership helps non-government organizations secure ecologically sensitive lands to ensure the protection of our country’s diverse ecosystems, wildlife and habitat. More >>

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