A number of watershed groups have spoken up about the government's inaction on the problem of nitrates in Island waterways. Over 15 watersheds are currently experiencing anoxic conditions this summer. This is areas devoid of oxygen, obviously not good...

Some watershed groups on P.E.I. say the Ghiz government has failed to tackle a nitrate problem that is clogging waterways with vegetation and choking out other life.

Two years ago, a commission looking into the issue made 32 sweeping recommendations. It called six of them absolutely essential. Two of those involved the agriculture community: a mandatory three-year crop rotation and matching nutrients more carefully with crop needs.

Pace on P.E.I. nitrate pollution 'glacial'
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/08/16/pei-nitra...

This problem hasn't started over-night, but it is time to get serious and make the tough choices.

Opposition MLA Mike Currie piled on the next day, accusing the government of not using the environmental fund from can recylcing on watershed groups as promised.

Opposition environment critic Mike Currie says the Ghiz administration has broken its promise and is cheating Island watershed groups out of the $1.8 million that was promised to support their environmental projects.

"Premier Robert Ghiz and Environment Minister Richard Brown made a commitment to the watershed groups that all the profit that was generated from the collection of beverage containers would support these volunteer organizations. That hasn't happened."

Currie said watershed groups only received $750,000 of the $1.8 million raised by government from beverage container recycling. "All of that money should have gone to the watershed groups, as promised, " said Currie.

The Georgetown-St. Peters MLA expressed alarm that 15 rivers have gone anoxic this year due to nitrate contamination, not only killing the river systems but causing a smell that is offensive to Islanders and tourists alike.

Ghiz cheating watershed groups: Currie
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2010-08-16/article-1673186/Ghiz-...

If government is not prepared to make the tough choices, it must be persuaded to... kicking and screaming if need be, but with public support and action, it can happen.