To the government of Canada,
I am writing on behalf of ocean enthusiasts all over the world in the hope that you will listen to suggestions regarding the shellfish processing plant under construction in the heart of the Seaforth community in Nova Scotia. The plant is being constructed by land owner Murray Purcell. We believe that the ecological damage that this project will create does not justify the potential jobs that it will create. The discharge that will flow into the ocean could have many devastating long-term consequences on the environment and tourism in this region.
Studies have shown that shellfish processing plants can be very harmful to the environment. (http://aczisc.dal.ca/nparpt.pdf) This could mean the loss of potential tourism revenue for the area and the destruction of a valuable natural environment. The plant discharge into the ocean will most likely pollute the water, affecting marine life and effecting the health of surfers and other recreational users of the beach.
The site where the plant will be built is a wetland habitat, requiring extensive work to stabilize the soil in order to put in a foundation for the building. Furthermore, it is not publicly known if an environmental impact study has been completed.
We urge you to consider alternatives for the shellfish processing plant and urge that an environmental study be conducted. The area’s natural beauty has remained untouched for eons, generating sustainable tourism revenue (i.e. traveling surfers, ocean enthusiasts, birdwatchers, hikers etc.), which has been demonstrated by a panel of international experts who have stated that the value of the natural environment far exceeds the benefit of such a plant.
The ecological stability and the future of the tourism industry of the Seaforth community depend on the conservation of this natural environment.
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