Abenaki communities voice support for MCK on Northvolt

Local Journalism Initiative

May 30, 2024 at 8:53 a.m.·2 min read

A pair of Abenaki communities jumped to support the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake’s position on the potential construction of a recyclable-battery plant near Hemmingford recently.

The Abenaki Councils of Odanak and Wolinak officially voiced their support for the MCK’s stance against the Northvolt EV battery-recycling plant slated for construction southeast of Kahnawake.

The MCK’s opposition to the project stems from the impact it would have on the wetlands and waterways that connect the entire St. Lawrence River Valley. It filed suit against the project in Quebec Superior Court earlier this year.

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake said support from other First Nations was ‘critical’ to the MCK’s efforts to preserve the local wetlands and the animal life that call them home.

“Mutual support and solidarity over shared territory is critical, and we must make every effort to align whenever possible,” it said. “The government’s failure to consult compromises us equally as First Nations people and the significance of our mutual support is deeply felt by the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake.”

Recently, Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL) got an update on proceedings.

There, the AFNQL learned the parties had their first case-management conference on May 7 and that Quebec Superior Court Justice Andres Garin issued a judgment on May 10 that laid out a schedule for the parties to start exchanging evidence over the summer.

The MCK will argue the environmental impact of the plant’s construction and functions will irreparably harm the St. Lawrence Valley wetlands, which is the home of the copper redhorse fish, which is “a species threatened with extinction,” the Abenaki councils said.

“The Northvolt project raises major concerns regarding the planned destruction of vast wetland areas crucial for the preservation of numerous endangered species and the exercise of Indigenous peoples' rights. Similarly, the current financial compensation process does not allow for genuine restoration or creation of wetland and water environments of such magnitude, especially on the ancestral territories of the Abenaki of Odanak and Wolinak,” the councils wrote.

The councils added that “the cumulative effects of the battery industry on Indigenous communities in the St. Lawrence Valley, such as the railway passing through the Wolinak community, compromise the safety, tranquility, and health of its residents.”

For those interested in following the case, the case number is 500-17-128547-240.

Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase

The Conversation
How roads are reshaping and scarring our planet, and even changing animals’ DNA
‘Road ecology’ is the focus of Crossings, a powerful new book by environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb.
CBC
Man punches grizzly in face during bear attack in northern B.C.
A B.C. cyclist is recovering after a run-in with a grizzly and two cubs that ended with the bear getting punched in the face. According to conservation officer Matthew Corbett, a man was riding his bike along a forested trail next to Anderson Flats Provincial Park in northwest B.C. when he surprised a female grizzly and her two cubs in a clearing. "The bear just immediately charged him, knocked him down," Corbett said. But the man put his bike between himself and the bear, which prevented him fr
Futurism
Terrifying NASA Video Shows America Spewing CO2 Into Atmosphere
Trapped Gases NASA has released a new visualization that shows copious amounts of carbon dioxide swirling around the Earth's atmosphere. The video shows how concentrations of the gas move across the planet, driven by wind and atmospheric circulation, from January through March 2020. The level of detail is truly astonishing, allowing us to "zoom in […]
BBC
Ancient three-eyed reptiles get new home at Chester Zoo
Tuataras are one of the world’s oldest surviving species and lived on Earth before the dinosaurs.
Canadian Press Videos
Wood pellets boom in the U.S. raises health and environmental concerns
Wood pellet production skyrocketed across the U.S. South to feed the European Union’s recent push for renewable energy but residents near manufacturing plants -- often those in poor, rural swaths -- believe the process is making people sick. (AP video by Stephen Smith)
BBC
How decline of Indian vultures led to 500,000 human deaths
A new study links the vulture decline in India to deadly bacteria spread, causing about 500,000 deaths.
The Canadian Press
Wood pellets production boomed to feed EU demand. It's come at a cost for Black people in the South
GLOSTER, Miss. (AP) — This southern Mississippi town's expansive wood pellet plant was so close to Shelia Mae Dobbins' home that she sometimes heard company loudspeakers. She says industrial residues coated her truck and she no longer enjoys spending time in the air outdoors.
Business Insider
Scientists found a groundbreaking new reason to plant more trees
Microbes living in tree bark are absorbing methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere on a massive scale, a study found.
WEWS-Cleveland Videos
Scooter piles dwindling outside Summit e-Waste as summer ramps up sales
The thousands of defunct Spin scooters were purchased for $100 by Ben Baker, the owner of Summit e-Waste, an electronic recycling company in Akron.
CBC
How blue-green algae blooms are threatening the Great Lakes
Freshwater blue-green algae blooms are a global phenomenon that can affect humans, pets, the environment and the economy. And as weather patterns shift, the blooms — which prefer warm, nutrient-rich water — are appearing in areas where they wouldn't commonly occur, according to one researcher.Though blooms typically show up in shallow bodies of water with temperatures above 20 C in areas of higher agricultural activity, blooms in colder and more nutrient-poor lakes have been observed more freque
Bloomberg
Great Rotation Trade Sees Investors Dump AI Giants for Less Obvious Stocks
(Bloomberg) -- Signs that equity investors are getting cold feet over the rapid advances in artificial intelligence leaders have put a spotlight on some less obvious beneficiaries of the technology boom.Most Read from BloombergTrump Risks Losing Voters He Needs With Loaded Attacks on HarrisParis Sticks to Olympics Opening Event Plans After Rail SabotageFed’s Favored Price Gauge Rises at Mild Pace, Spending Holds UpHarris Just Showed Why Trump Is So Afraid of HerUS Accuses Famed Short-Seller Andr
Belleville News-Democrat
‘Lucky one to get close’: Marion police officer describes encounter with black bear
“Once it saw me, it knew it wasn’t going to go in my direction,” officer says.
The Weather Network - Video
Cities deploy goats to tackle invasive plant species
Multiple municipalities, including Toronto and Mississauga, are increasingly turning to goats as a natural solution to manage and control invasive species.
United Press International
Look: Endangered tree kangaroo peers out of mother’s pouch at Zoo Miami
A young Matschie's tree kangaroo, an endangered species native to Papua New Guinea's Huon Peninsula, has started peering out of its mother's pouch at Zoo Miami.
POWER Magazine
Landrieu: Natural Gas Is ‘Not the Enemy, It Is Part of the Solution’ to Achieving Climate Goals
Former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who is now a senior policy advisor for the law firm Van Ness Feldman and co-chair of the Natural Allies Leadership Council, is keen […]
Associated Press
Wandering wolf of the Southwest confined through 2025 breeding season in hopes of producing pups
An exceptionally restless female Mexican gray wolf nicknamed Asha will be held in captivity with a potential mate through another breeding season in hopes of aiding the recovery of the species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday. Asha captivated the public imagination after she was found wandering far beyond the boundaries established along the Arizona-New Mexico border for managing the rarest subspecies of gray wolf in North America. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Aislinn Maestas said the wolf, known to wildlife biologists as F2754, has shown signs of bonding and breeding activity with a captive-born male, though so far without producing pups.
The Hill
Despite breakthrough, Manchin and Barrasso’s permitting reform effort faces hurdles
Although Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) finally reached an agreement on energy permitting reform this week, their effort still faces an uphill climb. They’ll need to convince leadership and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers to support their deal — and to give them floor space at the end…
CBC
The end is near for three of Yukon's rural waste transfer stations
The Yukon government is moving forward with its target to modernize the territory's solid waste disposal system, but some residents still aren't happy. It's investing in regional solid-waste facilities across the territory in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make rural communities more economically and environmentally sustainable.Part of this plan also includes closing waste transfer stations in Keno City, Braeburn, Johnson's Crossing, and Silver City, something area residents ha
People
Polar Bear Dies at Calgary Zoo After ‘Rough Play’ with Another Bear: ‘His Presence Brought Immense Joy’
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said that a necropsy report found that the bear drowned after sustaining a “crushing injury” to his trachea
Associated Press
Black bear and cub destroy car in Connecticut after getting trapped inside
Trapped inside a car, the adult black bear and cub thrashed about. Outside the car, a second cub ran around in apparent distress by the Connecticut home. State environmental conservation police were called by the startled vehicle owner on the morning of July 15.

Latest Stories