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CBC
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
3 more municipalities ask province to hit the brakes on uranium exploration in N.S.
Social Sharing Pleas are mounting for the Nova Scotia government to slow down its push for uranium development. Following on the heels of Pictou County, three additional municipalities voted this week to ask the province to pause before granting any uranium exploration licences. Councils for West Hants Regional Municipality, the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, and the Municipality of the County of Annapolis voted unanimously on making the request. The motions varied slightly, but essentially each council agreed to formally ask the province for an indefinite delay so that communities can become better informed about potential impacts. "It's the unknown that's worrying residents at this point," said Abraham Zebian, mayor of West Hants Regional Municipality, at a council meeting Tuesday. Not taking a position for or against When delivering his motion, Zebian asked councillors to set aside whether they're for or against uranium exploration and mining. He said the issues are the speed at which the province is moving and the need for more engagement between provincial officials and the public. These were common themes at each council meeting. "We just have had no communication," said Coun. Brian Connell, who put forward the motion in Annapolis. "No one can believe how fast the province is moving on this, and many feel that that is by design," said Coun. Alison Smith, who put forward the motion in Lunenburg. Smith said she was not asking for a vote on whether uranium development should happen. But she noted that there may be an opportunity to take such a stance in the near future. Last month, Smith and her colleagues asked for a staff report on the risks of uranium mining and exploration in the Lahave River Watershed. Smith said she expects that report back next week. "When we have more facts in front of us, we may want to take a 'for' or 'against' advocacy position," she said. Months of outcry The request for a pause builds on several months of public outcry about the province's plans for uranium development. The Houston government tabled a bill in February to lift 40-year-old restrictions on uranium exploration and mining, as well as a moratorium on fracking. Reaction was swift and largely oppositional. The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs said they were not consulted. Nova Scotia Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton announced last month that the province was opening a request for proposals for uranium exploration licences in three areas with known deposits. Municipal officials and property owners said they were shocked by the news and were not told the RFPs were coming. Letters were sent to affected municipalities and property owners nearly two weeks after the public announcement. Community organizers have been holding meetings around the province to voice their concerns. Zebian said in an interview that he met Tuesday with Karen Gatien, deputy minister of natural resources, and was told the request for a pause was being considered. CBC News asked the department if it is going to heed the request. It responded with a lengthy statement that did not address the question. WATCH| Nova Scotia's next step for uranium development: Nova Scotia opening bids for uranium exploration at 3 sites 28 days ago Duration 2:05 Zebian said he asked the deputy minister for the province to hold a series of public meetings before issuing exploration licences. "We think it's a good idea to have … those experts in the room that are making those decisions to answer questions from the public," he said. Zebian said he is hopeful the province will agree. The municipalities got their requests in to the province just as the request for proposals for exploration licences was set to close Wednesday. The province has previously indicated it would make decisions by July 11.
The Herald Scotland
01-05-2025
- Science
- The Herald Scotland
Rare spider that is 'master of disguise' spotted in UK
The "amazing looking" creature with its "incredible colour and camouflage" is "incredibly difficult to spot", according to Berry. See the spider below. Lichen covered trees in the woodlands of Cornwall and Devon are a great place to see the rare Lichen Running Spider, Philodromus margaritatus It sits perfectly camouflaged waiting to grab its next meal!@BritishSpiders @BLSlichens @CwallWildlife @DevonWildlife #NationalTreeWeek — Natural England- Devon, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly (@NE_DCIoS) November 24, 2024 "The spiders love to sit on branches covered in lichen in wait for prey, perfectly camouflaged," he explained to the BBC. The spider has been spotted just a "handful" of times, he said, with other sightings at Lanhydrock, Cabilla and Redrice Cornwall Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. "It was very exciting when I was passed details of a possible sighting at Lanhydrock four or five years ago and it took me a further two years to find another." Mr Berry said the spider, scientific name Philodromus Margaritatus, required mature trees, often oaks, hawthorn and pines, that are covered in lichen. These are often in open areas such as heaths, parkland and woodland edges, he added. They reside in "scattered pockets" between Cornwall and Surrey in the south of Britain, and in the Caledonian pine forests in Scotland. He said: "There is no evidence of the spider living anywhere between these two hugely separated areas" Recommended reading: The UK's biggest spider that might be lurking in buildings Spider season: BBC researcher confirms tarantulas are in UK RSPB: Huge spiders thought to be extinct are making comeback He said this meant conservation of mature trees and lichen was "important". Alison Smith, temperate rainforest project manager for Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: "As a master of disguise, this near-threatened species is rarely seen, with only a few records in the county. "Its presence highlights the importance of the habitat here." She said of the spider, which was spotted during a lichen survey: "It's a near-threatened species, further demonstrating how important the habitat at West Muchlarnick is."
BBC News
26-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Brighton Holocaust memorial synagogue granted listed status
An East Sussex synagogue which also stands as a Holocaust memorial has been granted Grade II listed and Hove Reform Synagogue was granted the status in recognition of its unique stained glass follows a campaign by The Twentieth Century Society to protect the building in Palmeira Avenue, Croft, director of the society, said the synagogue had "outstanding cultural significance" and "major communal value as a Holocaust memorial and as a social and spiritual centre". Built in 1966 and 1967, the synagogue's 40ft (12.2m) stained glass windows were designed by John Petts, and described by art historian Dr Alison Smith as "one of the great religious artworks of the 20th Century".A spokesperson for the society said the windows features an "iconographic programme expressing the historic persecution of jews" and is made up of 1,800 pieces of coloured glass.A foundation stone in the foyer of the building is dedicated to victims of the Holocaust "in honour of the dead, as a warning to the living".Olivia Marks-Woldman, chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said: "This is far more than a building; it's a place of memory, of community and of profound emotional significance."In protecting this space, we're also safeguarding the stories, the lives and the lessons it holds."We hope it will inspire further protection of places that bear witness to Jewish heritage, resilience, and remembrance."
