FALL RIVER: Scotian Materials has withdrawn their judicial review of a 2015 decision that saw the industrial permit for their proposed quarry, next to the Aerotech Business Park.
The appeal of the decision by then former Environment Minister Andrew Younger was set to head to Nova Scotia Supreme Court from Jan. 9-11.
Rob MacPherson, president of Scotian Materials, issued a statement on Jan. 6 confirming an agreement between his company and the Province of Nova Scotia, which was submitted to the courts on Jan. 5, to no longer proceed with a legal review.
“Scotian Materials is pleased to have reached an agreement with the Province of Nova Scotia to withdraw our request for a legal review into the 2015 revocation of the provincial permit granted to our company to operate a quarry near the Aerotech Business Park,” said MacPherson.
He spoke about the lengths Scotian has gone to with a new application for their proposed quarry, which has many local area residents against it including former councillor Barry Dalrymple and MLA Bill Horne.
“In submitting a new application with Nova Scotia Environment (NSE), on par with a comprehensive environmental impact assessment, our company has taken many extra steps beyond comparable projects, including engagement with the local community – indeed doing more for this proposed quarry than any other quarry of this size operating in Nova Scotia,” he said. “Scotian Materials therefore felt that the right thing to do was to not take up any more of the time and resources from the court, the government and the community in proceeding further with this legal review.”
MacPherson is hopeful about their current application, which is now being reviewed by Nova Scotia Environment. A spokeswoman for NSE said on Dec. 22 that the review was underway
“Scotian Materials is hopeful that our current application will be evaluated by Nova Scotia Environment based on science, evidence and the rule of law,” said MacPherson.
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