22 Nov Victory! Appalachian Corridor proud to have contributed to the protection of Mount Hereford
Earlier this year, we announced our direct implication with the SOS Mont Hereford Coalition and the dangerous precedent Hydro-Québec would have created with the construction of an aerial interconnection line right through the heart of the Forêt Hereford protected area. Since then, Pierre Moreau, Quebec Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, has announced that the line will be buried. “SOS Hereford welcomes this happy ending and is proud to have made a significant contribution towards it. Throughout the year, we mobilized major resources and solicited support, multiplied consultations and discussions to reach a satisfying solution to preserve the integrity of Mount Hereford and its protected area. A year on, we can say: mission accomplished!” said Mélanie Lelièvre, Executive Director at Appalachian Corridor. The Mount Hereford Conservation Area was created through the largest private land legacy in Quebec history by the Tillotson family.
A spectacular turnaround
Until recently, Hydro-Québec totally rejected the idea of burying the export line for the Northern Pass project. Even the stakeholders directly involved had lost hope. It is with this background that the SOS Mont Hereford Coalition was born. The Coalition would like to thank the local elected representatives, all organizations who supported the cause, the 11,000 signatories of the petition as well as the singer-songwriter Richard Séguin. Without this support, it would have been impossible to fight and win this battle. The future of conservation on private land in Southern Quebec was really at stake.