Amidst the Federal election and many other important issues cropping up in the news these days, the Newfoundland and Labrador Hydraulic Fracturing Review Panel (NLHFRP, or the review panel) is hosting their long-awaited public consultations next week in four communities along the West Coast of Newfoundland.
The province of Newfoundland and Labrador established a temporary fracking moratorium in November 2013, and since established an independent review panel to make a recommendation to the NL Minister of Natural Resources as to whether the moratorium should be lifted or remain in place and be legislated. The public were invited to make submissions to the panel over the spring and summer, and the next phase is the public consultations / meetings. The review panel anticipates completing its’ work by 01Feb2016.
The public consultations are being held in four communities along the West Coast of Newfoundland, which is the area Black Spruce / Shoal Point Energy was considering fracking for shale oil in an onshore-to-offshore project.
Opposition in the province has been building. For the past few years, we’ve been communicating with members of the NL Fracking Awareness Group, along with community groups and allies along the West Coast of NL, to support the work people are doing there to oppose fracking. They have been working hard to educate and mobilize people on this issue and now is not the time to slow down!
I’ll be attending all four sessions, blogging and tweeting as my internet connection allows. So if you’re in Newfoundland, please attend the session closest to you, and wear your buttons, bring your flags and placards, and show the panel we don’t want fracking in Newfoundland and Labrador! And be sure to say hi.
The schedule of public consultations is as follows:
· Rocky Harbour October 13th– Fisherman’s Landing Inn
· Stephenville October 14th – Days Inn
· Port au Port East October 15th – Maria Regina Parish Hall
· Corner Brook October 16th – Glynmill Inn
(All consultations run 4-7pm Newfoundland Time)
Click here for more information about the review panel.
Click here to read our submission to the panel and to find out why we oppose fracking in NL.
Related blogs and media releases:
Council of Canadians congratulates N.L. government, calls for an independent review of fracking
Pressure growing for federal fracking freeze in wake of Newfoundland moratorium
