The Halifax Chronticle Herald reports that, “PetroWorth has exploration and development rights (in) Inverness County, Cape Breton. (This) site is 154,994 hectares and lies within the Lake Ainslie watershed area, which feeds a number of other rivers including the historic Margaree River and its salmon spawning grounds.” Lake Ainslie is the largest freshwater lake in Nova Scotia. “Local residents and members of the nearby Waycobah First Nation have expressed concerns (that fracking) will be used to extract the resource from the shale.”
“The technology uses fluid, comprised mainly of water mixed with chemicals, sand and other materials, to put pressure on the rock so that it will fracture (and release shale gas). …Protesters (say) the wastewater produced through the process is a potential environmental nightmare.”
In the article, Daniel Gillis, a member of the Inverness chapter of the Council of Canadians, says, “We’ve been very concerned about the technology because in certain areas of the United States, there have been complaints about bad water and communities losing their groundwater. …We’re just strongly opposed to fracking. …A lot of people just don’t want any drilling to take place at all because in the end it won’t be worth it. A few short-term jobs and who knows what problems will be left behind.”
“Inverness County council was so impressed with a presentation earlier this week by those opposing the project (including the Council of Canadians chapter), it passed a resolution calling on the provincial government to ban fracking provincewide.” More on that at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=6394. “…(Inverness County) Warden Duart MacAulay (says) if ‘there is a risk to a watershed area and this pristine area, would it be worth it?’ (Nova Scotia) Natural Resources Minister Charlie Parker said he’s talked to MacAulay about council’s decision and his department will send information to council as requested. Parker said provincial decisions on fracking would come when applications are made.”
Presently, “The provincial Environment Department is reviewing an application from PetroWorth to drill a conventional test well on the site. ….Although PetroWorth doesn’t plan on using fracking when it drills the test well, there is a possibility the technology could be used in the future. …Provincial regulations would require the company to get provincial approval if it was going to be used.”
Drilling is expected to begin in the spring.
Past campaign blogs on the threat of fracking in Inverness County are at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?s=lake+ainslie.
Today’s news article is at http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1228620.html.
