When I participated in the “Paddle for the Peace” (http://paddleforthepeace.ca/) last year, the Mayor of Hudson’s Hope suggested I go and look at Talisman’s hydraulic fracturing operations in that area. At her suggestion, I drove past Talisman’s operation and also looked at where the company was withdrawing water from the Williston Reservoir and the Peace River, both of which were very low last summer because of a severe drought.
Subsequent to that site visit, I’ve been actively exploring the issue of “Fracking” in BC and have had many good discussions with people who have differing views about the benefits and hazards of this particular technology. British Columbia obtains significant revenues from the oil & gas industry in the Peace River region, but the cumulative impacts of this development are not well understood by government. In particular, I have concerns about cumulative impacts on water, public health, land use, energy consumption and climate change. I’m not alone in those concerns.
I will continue to explore this matter as it is a very serious public policy concern for a growing number of British Columbians and other jurisdictions in which this activity is taking place have similar with Quebec most recently indicated they will conduct a comprehensive study of the technology before expanding its use. See also my press release from May 2011: http://bobsimpsonmla.ca/media-room/release/bcs-independent-mlas-call-premier-investigate-use-
Below are some websites that may assist you to engage in your own study of this technology.
Here is my article for The Common Sense Canadian that goes into the issue more deeply: http://thecanadian.org/k2/item/726-how-well-are-we-regulating-hydraulic-fracturing-in-bc?
For a primer on fracking, see this article from the Vancouver Sun:http://www.vancouversun.com/health/PESTS+sour+fracking+want+inquiry/4407727/story.html
Suzuki/Pembina report: Is natural gas a climate change solution for Canada?
Fracture Lines, by Ben Parfitt http://www.powi.ca/pdfs/groundwater/Fracture%20Lines_English_Oct14Release.pdf
Public consultation down the drain as government comes to fracking industry’s aid
Health Act Inquiry Into Threats Posed by Sour Gas A Step Closer? http://www.policynote.ca/health-act-inquiry-into-threats-posed-by-sour-gas-a-step-closer/
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions white paper “Shale Gas and Climate Targets: Can they be reconciled?” Author: Marc Jaccard and Brad Griffin http://www.pics.uvic.ca/assets/pdf/publications/Shale%20Gas%20and%20Climate%20Targets.pdf
English excerpts of the Quebec Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environment report http://www.bape.gouv.qc.ca/sections/rapports/publications/bape273_excerpts.pdf
Full BAPE report in French:http://www.bape.gouv.qc.ca/sections/rapports/publications/bape273.pdf
BC Tap Water Alliance fracking page: http://www.bctwa.org/FrackingBC.html
Podcast – Ben Parfitt http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/redeye/2011/03/no-fracking-way
Peace Environment and Safety Trustees Society http://www.bcpest.ca/