
Torngat MHA Lela Evans says “On a global scale, we are all realizing that the environment we live in is precious and sustains us; collectively, we must ensure that we can manage our footprint – this includes minimizing any environmental impact from the grounded Baltic III.”
Yesterday was International Earth Day, an event that started in 1970 and today, includes about a billion people in 193 countries. Lela Evans is a PC MHA for Torngat Mountains. In the House of Assembly yesterday, she raised concerns about delays with the cleanup and removal of the MSC Baltic III, which ran aground in Cedar Cove on February 15th. Evans says “It would be hypocritical of us as a province and a country to be celebrating Earth Day without the action required to protect the surrounding waters, our waters.” She says “On a global scale, we are all realizing that the environment we live in is precious and sustains us; collectively, we must ensure that we can manage our footprint – this includes minimizing any environmental impact from the grounded Baltic III.” Two months have now passed without any cleanup, and the fisheries union, community leaders, and area residents have been looking for answers to no avail. Evans says “There is very little activity at the site. No plan or update has been released to the public. If that vessel ruptures, we could have an environmental disaster that would devastate fishing and tourism in the region.