New Brunswickers who have been protesting the proposed Energy East pipeline since its inception are applauding TransCanada’s decision to kill the project.
Had the pipeline been installed, it would have sat right across the street from Lynaya Astephen’s house in Red Head, N.B.
READ MORE: N.B. premier ‘disappointed’ Energy East pipeline project abandoned
She and her neighbours created the Red Head Anthony’s Cove Preservation Association and have protested the project for three years.
“I’m very happy that all the hard work that many people across Canada have accomplished in stopping this ill-conceived project,” said Astephen.
“I feel relieved. I feel like perhaps I can actually sleep tonight without worrying about what could possibly happen across from my home.”
READ MORE: Hundreds gather in Red Head, N.B. to protest Energy East Pipeline
Astephen says residents had a slew of concerns, ranging from air quality to potential oil spills and well-water contamination.
“We weren’t getting answers from TransCanada. That’s when we banded together,” she said.
WATCH: Energy East Pipeline opponents march in Fredericton
Far from letting the issue go, Astephen says she now plans to push the province to turn its attention to renewable energy as an alternative to oil. Prior to the Energy East project potentially moving into her neighbourhood, Astephen had never considered herself an activist.
READ MORE: Removal of Energy East Pipeline review board ‘beginning of the end’: Pipeline opponent
“I was a normal person. I was very afraid to speak in front of people,” she said.
“It has completely changed my life and the lives of my neighbours.”