Green Beacon Blog

Progress with MV Miner removal

The Main-A-Dieu Community Development Association has been actively working to have the MV Miner, which washed up onto the shores of Scaterie on September 20th, 2011, safely removed from the island. Our community along with those from the surrounding area fear that if this vessel remains as is, our already fragile fishing industry stands to be further comprised.

This past weekend we finally had some encouraging news; the Hon. Charlie Parker announced that the province of Nova Scotia is in negotiations with salvage companies contracted by the owner of the MV Miner to remove the wreck from Scatarie.

We will be announcing a Public Meeting to discuss what the removal plan should include and hope that members from all communities come out to share their insight.

Please check out the links below from the Cape Breton Post for up to date information regarding the MV Miner.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2012-01-13/article-2864238/Province-negotiating-with-salvage-companies-for-MV-Miner-removal/1

http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Editorial/2012-01-14/article-2864184/Glimmer-of-hope-from-Scatarie/1

http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Letters-to-the-Editor/2012-01-11/article-2859838/Damaged-seawall%2C-grounded-freighter-illustrate-government-inaction/1

The Dieu Vs. The MV Miner

Here is the Press Release sent out oh behalf of the Main-A-Dieu Community Development Association regarding the MV Miner ….

PRESS RELEASE
Thursday December 8, 2011

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION DISMAYED AND FRUSTRATED AT LACK OF FEDERAL RESPONSE TO EMERGENCY APPEAL ON
MV MINER

On November 1, the Main-à-Dieu Community Development Association wrote to the Federal Minister of Transport, Denis Lebel, requesting an emergency meeting to discuss the removal of the retired bulk freighter the MV Miner, wrecked and disintegrating on the shoals of Scaterie Island – a protected wilderness area at the heart of our ecologically sensitive lobster and scallop fishery – since September 20. Over a month later, we have yet to receive a reply, notwithstanding the visit to Sydney on November 23 of the Minister of State for Transportation, Stephen Fletcher, to meet with ‘all concerned parties’ – excluding, perversely, our community, the party most directed affected and concerned of all.

The official snub of our appeal stands in striking contrast to the proactive and concerted efforts of political leaders and representatives in the province – foremost among them NDP Premier Darrell Dexter, Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner and Liberal-appointed Senator Jane Cordy, Conservative MP Alfie Macleod, and our CBRM Councillor (District 1) Brian Lahey – to seek an adequate and timely Federal response. On November 15, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality unanimously adopted a resolution urging Minister Lebel to immediately elaborate “an action plan to remove the wreck”. As the resolution correctly states, “the licensing of the craft, which was evidently unfit for towing by tug across the Atlantic, was a Federal decision on which Provincial authorities had no say”; in addition, the license was “unconscionably” issued “with no stipulation that the owners” – as it transpires, a shell company with no assets – “insure the vessel against mishap.”

In the face of its clear legal, jurisdictional and moral responsibilities, the Federal government’s repeated assurance that the MV Miner poses no threat to either navigation or the environment holds no more water than the wreck itself. Even before the full descent of winter, the situation is inexorably worsening. The waters in the immediate vicinity of the vessel are frequented both by working fishing boats and pleasure and tourist craft; portions of the hull’s steel plating have already washed away, to reach land who knows when or where, and potentially harmful materials may soon enter the ecosystem and food chain.

Given the certain consequences of continued delay, prevarication and evasion of duty, we repeat our call to the Minister for a crisis meeting; for concerted action, rather than the insult of silence, in response to our just demands.

For more information, please contact
Amanda McDougall, Project Coordinator
Main-à-Dieu Coastal Discovery Centre
733-2258 or 733-2020

JP Cormier & the Elliott Brothers are coming to the Dieu!

JP Cormier and Elliott Brothers Concert to be held December 8th, 2011 at the Coastal Discovery Centre in Main-A-Dieu.
Concert starts at 7:30 pm and tickets are $20.00.
Children 12 and under are free.
Email reception@coastaldiscoverycentre.ca or call 733-2258 for more info!

A letter from the Dieu ….

THE MAIN-À-DIEU COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
2886 Louis–Main-à-Dieu Rd., Main-à-Dieu, NS, B1C 1X5
Tel: (902) 733-2258 | Fax: (902) 733-2653
Email: reception@coastaldiscoverycentre.ca | Web: coastaldiscoverycentre.ca

The Honorable Denis Lebel
Minister of Transport
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

November 1, 2011

Dear Minister Lebel,

On behalf of the Main-à-Dieu and Area Community Development Association, I am writing to urge you to take urgent and effective action to remove the wreck of the gaining bulk carrier MV Miner from the shores of Scaterie Island, located just offshore our small fishing village and its pristine waters. When the vessel ran aground on the Island’s shoals on September 20, I fully anticipated such action in due course from your Department. The licensing of the craft, evidently unfit for towing by tug across the Atlantic, was after all a Federal decision in which the Provincial authorities had no say; in addition, the danger not only of an oil spillage or other toxic leaks but of the vessel’s disintegration at the hands of the sea posed a clear and present danger to the fragile marine environment on which our community’s economic wellbeing and social character overwhelmingly depends. The onus in preventing such a disaster, we all assumed, would fall primarily on the Federal Departments of Transport, the Environment, and Fisheries and Ocean.

Instead, the steps directed from Ottawa, amounting essentially to removing fuel from the wreck and verifying that it does not pose an imminent threat to other shipping, are, while minimally necessary, woefully insufficient to the task at hand. Indeed, with winter fast approaching and fall storm season already here, it is now the Provincial government that is paying a Dutch salvage company, Mammoet, to remove as much potentially hazardous chemical and other material remaining onboard. In our considered estimation, however, the potential for serious, sustained pollution and contamination can only be averted by the removal of the remaining structure of the ship.

Naturally, the most obvious responsibility for dealing with the consequences of the accident lies with the owners of the MV Miner. Unconscionably, however, the Federal Government issued its license for the vessel to be towed with no stipulation that the owners insure the vessel against mishap; nor did the Government ascertain the financial state of the company in the event legal action be required to compel and fund remedial measures. We now learn that the ‘company’ is a shell, about as structurally sound as the MV Miner itself, with no assets and located out of Canadian legal reach in the Marshall Islands.

In view of this glaring failure of Federal oversight of the licensing process, and in light of the clear Federal responsibility to protect the Canadian coastline from harm and pollution, I implore you to review your Department’s response to the crisis to date and to elaborate, in cooperation with all relevant levels of jurisdiction, an action plan commensurate to the scale of the crisis.

If it would help to expedite or facilitate the process of review, our Association would be happy to host, at your earliest convenience, an emergency strategy session here in the village for officials and experts from your and other relevant Departments. We also stand ready, at any time, to offer any information or assistance you may require.

Thank-you from the Dieu!

A big thank-you to everyone who came out last week and attended the Chowder Supper held at the Coastal Discovery Centre in Main-a-Dieu :)

Thank-you as well to the hard working volunteers who served the most delicious chowder I have had to date.

Also, thank-you to Celtic Colours for putting on another wonderful concert at the Immaculate Conception Church.

Fall has arrived and that means Celtic Colours is once again coming to Main-A-Dieu!

On Friday, October 14th Main-A-Dieu will be offering coastal treats for the belly and lively music that will have your feet tapping.

From 4:30pm – 6:30 pm there will be a Seafood Chowder and Ceilidh at the Coastal Discovery Centre in Main-A-Dieu. Tickets are $13.00 and includes fresh Main-A-Dieu Seafood Chowder, hearty rolls, homemade gingerbread and cream, tea and coffee.

Following supper will be the musical talents of Dan MacDonald, Paul MacDonald, Lloyd MacDonald Emily Smith and Rocky Shore at the Immaculate Conception Church across the road!

For more information on the event please contact Amanda McDougall at 902-733-2020 or email reception@coastaldiscoverycentre.ca

Concert information can be found at the following link:

http://celtic-colours.com/shows-menu/shows-friday-14/item/on-these-rocky-shores.html?category_id=205

Employment Opportunities

The Coastal Discovery Centre has two openings for the positions of Tourism and Hospitality Development Officers starting the beginning of September.

The Tourism and Hospitality Development Officers will research and develop new strategies to promote the Big Wave Café located in the Coastal Discovery Centre and implement new initiatives to attract tourists and local residents to the restaurant.

The position will involve activities designed to promote tourism in the Main-A-Dieu area. Participants will be given training on desktop publishing to ensure the development of skills necessary to promote the Coastal Discovery Centre through newsletter design, web design, and the preparation of promotional materials. Participants will also be provided training to work in the service industry via the Big Wave Café performing such tasks as food preparation, inventory, greeting customers, serving/preparing menu items and clean-up.

As these positions are funded through the Job Creation Partnership programme, there are stipulations of eligibility. To be eligible for participation in Job Creation Partnerships, you must be an unemployed individual as defined by Section 58 of the Employment Insurance Act. This means that you are an individual for whom:

• an unemployment benefit period has been established or has ended within the three years prior to the date of requesting assistance; or

• a benefit period that included a maternity or parental claim has been established within the five years prior to the date of requesting assistance, after which you remained out of the labour market in order to care for a newborn or newly adopted child and are now seeking to re-enter the labour force.

For more information on please contact Amanda McDougall at (902)733-2258 or email reception@coastaldiscoverycentre.ca