The Globe and Mail reports, “British Columbia’s next ‘war in the woods’ could be fought over gas deposits buried far below the thinly populated ranch lands of the Peace River region.”
“Groups including the Sierra Club of B.C., Georgia Strait Alliance, Dogwood Initiative, Council of Canadians, Wilderness Committee and B.C. Tap Water Alliance are calling for a public inquiry (on fracking).”
“Energy Minister Rich Coleman said Tuesday he is seeing environmentalists ramp up their opposition to the shale-gas developments in B.C.’s northeast…The best-known developments are the Horn River basin around Fort Nelson and the Montney play around Dawson Creek.”
“In a letter to Premier Christy Clark that will be delivered Wednesday, Independent MLAs Bob Simpson and Vicki Huntington call for a special legislative committee to lead an inquiry into fracking.”
“Ms. Huntington said the government is driving the expansion of fracking through incentives to the industry – the province expects to hand out $172-million this year to the gas sector in royalty programs and infrastructure credits. It’s not clear how much went to assist fracking projects, but half of the province’s natural-gas production is now derived from those unconventional gas plays.”
“Terry Webster is one of the long-time ranchers raising concerns about fracking in her community. Ms. Webster’s 400-hectare ranch near Hudson’s Hope is already crossed by two natural-gas pipelines. But it’s the push for a third line, to divert water from the Williston Lake reservoir to a fracking development to the north of her property, that angers her. Ms. Webster’s buffalo herd was reduced to just 50 animals last year because of water shortages. …She’s also worried about how the contaminated water will be disposed of.”
“(Energy minister) Coleman agreed with Ms. Webster that there should be some baseline studies to ensure that well water is not affected by fracking. …But he insisted there is no reason for B.C. to pull back on the development of an increasingly important economic resource.”
The full article can be read at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/green-war-brewing-over-fracking-for-gas/article2033589/?.
