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N.B. Mi'kmaw chiefs join challenge to N.L.'s Bay du Nord project

The group has joined a lawsuit filed by Ecojustice and is arguing an oil spill could 'decimate' the Atlantic salmon species.

Group argues oil project could harm Atlantic salmon

A split photo of a woman, left, with short hair, and a man, right, with grey hair and a beard.
Rebecca Knockwood, left, chief of the Amlamgog First Nation, and George Ginnish, right, chief of the Natoaganeg First Nation, are co-chairs of Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc., an organization representing eight Mi’gmaq communities in New Brunswick. MTI has joined a lawsuit challenging Ottawa's approval of the Bay du Nord project. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC (left) and Vanessa Blanch/CBC (right))

An organization representing eight Mi'kmaw groups in New Brunswick is joining a court challenge to the federal government's approval of a new offshore oil project in Newfoundland.

Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'tagnn Inc. says a single spill from the Bay du Nord offshore oil development could harm Atlantic salmon.

The group says Ottawa did not fulfil its duty to meaningfully consult with Indigenous communities about the proposed project led by Norway-based Equinor.

The federal government gave Bay du Nord regulatory approval in April, and the project would be located about 500 kilometres northeast of St. John's — if Equinor decides to go ahead.

Environmental law group Ecojustice filed an application on May 6 in Federal Court for a judicial review of Ottawa's approval of Bay du Nord's environmental assessment.

The group says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault didn't consider the greenhouse gas emissions that would be released when the development's estimated 500 million barrels of recoverable oil are burned as fuel.

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