We work hard to ensure a strong environmental voice is heard in New Brunswick’s print, radio and television media. Last year, our staff appeared in the media more than 50 times to shed light on ongoing environmental issues and success in New Brunswick. Here are some of the biggest stories Conservation Council staff have been called upon for expertise, analysis and commentary this year:
July 20, 2025 | This CBC story highlights the remarkable life of Hal Hinds, a Conservation Council founding member, pioneering gay rights activist, beloved teacher and expert botanist. Hinds’s legacy is now being celebrated in a new exhibit at the Fredericton Region Museum. Hinds helped launch the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, the Nature Trust, the Protected Areas Coalition and more while leading early 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy in the province, co-founding AIDS New Brunswick and offering support through a home-based coming-out helpline. His motto, “Learn them, love them, protect them,” applied to both plants and people, and it’s a message that still resonates deeply today. Read the full story.
July 17, 2025 | N.B. Power’s plan to build a new gas plant near Midgic is raising questions about jobs, emissions and water use. The project, led by U.S.-based Proenergy, promises over 100 construction jobs and 8–10 permanent positions once the plant is up and running by 2028. But while the company says the turbines will mostly run in “support mode” without burning fuel, our director of climate research and policy, Dr. Moe Qureshi, has said he’s concerned the plant could end up burning more natural gas than expected and contributing more to climate change. The public comment period for the project’s federal environmental assessment is open until Aug. 1. Read more.
July 16, 2025 | N.B. Power’s plan to keep the Belledune power plant running on wood is highly flawed. In this Rado-Canada interview, our director of freshwater and forestry, Marieka Chaplin, notes that switching the coal plant to biomass would be bad for our forests, our climate and our air. The recent report we’ve published shows that the province simply doesn’t have enough wood to fuel the plant sustainably, and burning biomass would still pollute and release greenhouse gases. Instead of investing in another polluting project, we’re urging the province to shut the plant by 2030 and put that money into local clean energy like wind, solar and battery storage — options that protect nature and create good, stable jobs. Read the story (French).
July 15, 2025 | New Brunswick’s biggest polluters pumped out less carbon in 2023, but still not enough to meet our climate goals. This CBC story uses data from our team at the Conservation Council. It reports that the gap between what companies are allowed to emit and what they actually release is getting wider. That’s costing them more in carbon credits, even though trading in the system has picked up. And while most emissions went down, Irving Oil’s Saint John refinery — the province’s biggest polluter — actually increased its emissions last year. Read more.
July 13, 2025 | N.B. Power wants to spend $300 million to switch its Belledune coal plant to burning wood pellets—but a new report we’ve published shows that plan could do more harm than good. This Telegraph-Journal story covers that report prepared for us by Juniper Law. The report warns the project could damage our forests, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and rely on expensive fuel shipped from Europe. The fact is, burning wood pellets is inefficient and would put extra strain on New Brunswick’s already stressed wood supply. Instead of propping up an outdated power plant, it’s time we shift to cleaner, local energy solutions like wind and solar. Read the story.
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