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New Brunswick
N.B. Power says successful a study that it chose agrarian Tantramar, alternatively than an concern park, for its caller state works due to the fact that it would outgo little and look shorter timelines for regulatory approval. But conservation groups accidental the projected Tantramar tract lies successful the mediate of a invaluable ecological corridor.
Choice of agrarian Tantramar doesn't beryllium good with critics, who constituent to biology concerns
Erica Butler · CBC News
· Posted: Nov 05, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: November 5
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The rationale down N.B. Power’s arguable determination to physique a gas-fired powerfulness works connected a 550-acre woodlot is outlined successful a caller study from the utility, but critics aren’t buying it.
In December 2024, N.B. Power told reporters the large caller state works would apt beryllium built successful the Scoudouc Industrial Park, astir 22 kilometres northeast of Moncton.
But according to the two-page report, the inferior decided conscionable 2 months aboriginal that it would alternatively spell with spot adjacent Centre Village successful agrarian Tantramar.
N.B. Power and ProEnergy, the U.S. institution hired to physique and run the plant, are present gathering a 1.5-kilometre roadworthy to get to the chosen site.
WATCH | Local residents privation Chignecto Isthmus protected: Woodpecker nests down projected power-plant tract successful Centre Village
But section conservation groups accidental a state works makes overmuch much consciousness successful an concern parkland than successful the mediate of the Chignecto Isthmus.
“I deliberation that we person to, arsenic New Brunswickers, rise our standards a small spot astir wherever we enactment these kinds of projects,” said Melanie Jellett, conservation manager with the New Brunswick section of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
“A task of this size should not beryllium built successful an ecologically delicate country similar this. It's overmuch amended successful an country wherever there's already concern development.”
The determination to physique successful Centre Village didn’t go nationalist until N.B. Power formally announced its plans successful July 2025, inspiring an outcry from section residents and conservation groups.
Scoudouc, Centre Village topped database of choices
In its “location analysis” report, N.B. Power listed 10 sites that it considered, including Coleson Cove, Lepreau, Millbank, Belledune and Dalhousie. The inferior rapidly narrowed the tract to 5 worthy of “detailed review.”
Eel River, Bayside, and Memramcook were ruled retired due to the fact that of “transmission constraints” and deficiency of “proximity to earthy state pipelines.”
That near Scoudouc and Centre Village offering “the top worth and astir suitable conditions."
Both properties are crossed by N.B. Power transmission lines and the Maritimes and Northeast earthy state pipeline.
Both could besides “support the 500-megawatt capableness with minimal transmission investment,” and some are successful the southeast, wherever they could code increasing vigor request and “support eastward transfers (to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island),” according to the N.B. Power report.
N.B. Power says it studied the "regulatory context” for some sites successful the summertime of 2024, thing that would beryllium a cardinal origin successful the utility’s determination to spell with Centre Village.
The study concluded the Scoudouc tract has much wetland than Centre Village, which could necessitate Fisheries Act authorization, resulting successful a hold of up to 18 months.
It besides notes the “discovery of grounds of pileated woodpecker nests” connected the Scoudouc site. That would mean a 36-month waiting play nether Canada’s Migratory Bird Convention Act.
N.B. Power said the imaginable delays astatine the Scoudouc tract were large considerations, and “critical to ensuring task completion by 2028,” erstwhile the inferior is projecting vigor shortfalls successful the province.
Speed arsenic a deciding origin questioned
“The biggest happening that's pushing them is this timeline,” said Barry Rothfuss, manager of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, which lies astir 4 kilometres distant arsenic the crow flies.
“Everything that they're talking astir … has to bash with them being capable to physique an infrastructure task successful an expedited manner,” helium said.
The Scoudouc and Centre Village sites are “not adjacent comparable” from a biodiversity perspective, said Rothfuss.
“This is simply a acold much ecologically delicate habitat.”
LISTEN | Conservationists explicate wherefore they similar concern tract for state plant: Information Morning - Moncton8:19Conservationists respond to prime of tract for state plant
And the Centre Village tract apt contains situation for important taxon specified arsenic the pileated woodpecker, Rothfuss said.
“We've had photographic grounds and besides GPS co-ordinates sent identifying that determination is pileated woodpecker enactment connected this site,” helium said.
Centre Village is besides a cardinal determination connected the Chignecto Isthmus, which Jellett said has been identified arsenic an “important country for ecological connectivity” due to the fact that of wildlife specified arsenic moose, carnivore and lynx that migrate crossed the onshore span betwixt Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Jellett besides questioned the report’s conclusions astir wetlands, noting that the entree roadworthy nether operation astatine Centre Village cuts crossed Harper’s Brook.
A provincial biology interaction appraisal is underway for the project, and a method reappraisal committee has issued 97 comments and questions, immoderate inactive to beryllium answered by ProEnergy.
Even so, Environment Minister Gilles LePage has already ruled retired a imaginable “comprehensive” appraisal process.
Rothfuss agreed that “there's nary request for a long, extended EIA process.”
“They've already started a process that should beryllium ended,” Rothfuss said. “This EIA process is tainted for a assortment of antithetic reasons, everything from mendacious accusation astir Indigenous activities to the information that we're uncovering retired that the sensitivities that they're identifying present aren't truly accurate.”
Jellett wants much scrutiny of the project, which is expected to outgo good implicit $1 billion.
“I would similar to cognize that it's not based connected mediocre information, and that we're looking astatine it from each angles."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Erica Butler is simply a newsman with CBC New Brunswick. She lives successful Sackville and works retired of the Moncton newsroom. You tin nonstop communicative tips to [email protected].
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