Tar ponds deal expected soon

Cape Breton Post
Fri. Jan. 19, 2007

SYDNEY - A signed agreement allowing the tar ponds project to move ahead may be only days away.

"It'll be before the end of the month," said Bill Turpin, spokesperson for Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour. He wouldn't confirm a date for the pending announcement. However, Parliament resumes sitting Jan. 29, keeping federal representatives in Ottawa for the remainder of the month.

"I will be very disappointed if they don't announce it next week," said Mark Eyking, Liberal MP for Sydney-Victoria. "The work needed to sign-off on the deal is sitting on Minister of Environment John Baird's desk, he said. "It's ready to go."

Bruno Marcocchio, Atlantic campaign director for Sierra Club of Canada, said the organization is waiting anxiously for the announcement and to see how government will address recommendations forwarded by an independent panel in July.