James Bay environment near ecological collapse

Page 2

New hydroelectric projects in the James Bay area of northern Quebec would devastate an environment already on the verge of ecological collapse, says the grand chief of Quebec's 10,000 Acres. Matthew Coon-Come said his people's traditional territories have already been turned into a wasteland by a series of dams and reservoirs built in the 1970s. "Our fish are poisoned with mercury, our rivers have been diverted and are now practically dead and gone. Major spawning grounds are gone. Land that was rich with wildlife is flooded," said Coon-Come, speaking to a sympathetic audience of about 100 Native and environmental groups. "The James Bay project is an ecological disaster."