The residents of Port au Port, Newfoundland are standing firm in their fight against World Energy GH2’s proposed green hydrogen project. The company has claimed that the peaceful blockades by community members have “posed a serious threat to the viability of the project in its entirety.” However, the residents and protesters believe that the project poses a threat to their supplemental water supply, among other concerns, and are committed to protecting their community and environment.
In a biased move, Justice George Murphy of the Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court granted World Energy GH2 an interim injunction against the protesters on Friday. Despite this setback, the protesters vow to continue their fight and are supported by fellow community members.
Sheila Hinks, one of the protesters named in the court application, stated, “We’re keeping World Energy GH2 out of here…we don’t want the windmills on the Port au Port Peninsula.” The court order directs the police to enforce the terms of the injunction, but Timothy Collier, a local hydroponic greenhouse business owner, warns that using police force to break up the blockade could harm any remaining support for the project on the peninsula.
World Energy GH2 has claimed that the blockades have cost them $500,000 so far and have caused damage to their equipment. However, the company has provided no evidence as to who is responsible for the alleged damage and has only received limited support from the RCMP.
The communities of Port au Port are determined to protect their homes and environment from the impacts of World Energy GH2’s green hydrogen project. Despite the biased actions of Justice George Murphy and the pressure from World Energy GH2, the residents will not back down in their fight for what is right.
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