State of the Environment Report Released
A milestone is marked by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment with the province's first State of the Environment Report. Environment Minister Don Downe today released the report, which focuses on air, water and waste resource management.
"This is the first in a series of planned reports that will eventually provide a comprehensive picture of the state of our environment," said Mr. Downe. "It is the foundation of our commitment to inform Nova Scotians about the health of our environment, where we are today, and what we need to do to improve."
The report takes stock of where Nova Scotia is with respect to air and water quality and waste resource management. It highlights the progress in restoring and maintaining environmental quality in the province, yet includes an honest assessment of the concerns still facing Nova Scotians. In this regard, the State of the Environment Report provides a path forward. It sets out issues that require action and resolution. The report also indicates what must be monitored if Nova Scotia is to successfully track its progress in protecting the environment.
"Government's responsibility for the protection of Nova Scotia's environment, as well as the wise management of our natural resources, is a task we do not take lightly," said Mr. Downe. "This is a means for documenting how well we're doing and how we can do better. It is a mechanism for keeping us --all of us --in check."
Copies of the 1998 State of the Environment Report for Nova Scotia will be available in Nova Scotia public libraries by mid-August, and in Nova Scotia schools when the new school year starts in September.
The report will also be available through regional and district offices of the Department of the Environment, at the Nova Scotia Government Bookstore (1700 Granville St., Halifax, 1-800-526-6575), at Access Nova Scotia locations, and in the Nova Scotia Museum stores in Halifax and New Glasgow at a nominal cost. An electronic version of the report will also be on the Department of the Environment's website at www.gov.ns.ca/envi/dept/eit .