FYI: The People of New Brunswick vs Shale Gas
Sackville Tribune-Post
25 August 2013
At present, after ten years of experience with unconventional shale gas drilling, we are just beginning to understand the consequences of this technology. This is why there has been such fierce opposition to the practice in N.B. To date there have been no environmental or health impact studies initiated to assess the safety record of any of the wells that have been drilled in the province.
Dr. Eilish Cleary, Chief Medical Officer of N.B., has stated in her report on shale gas commissioned by the Conservative Government: "There are significant data gaps that limit assessment of health risks and to date few studies have been undertaken that consider the overall potential impacts on health and the physical and social environments over the entire lifetime of the industry".
Because the N.B. government has been unwilling to investigate the dangers of its own rudimentary shale gas industry, the following organizations have called for either a ban or a moratorium on fracking:
1. N.B. College of Family Physicians with 700 members (April 2012)
2. Medical Doctors of the Moncton Hospital (June 2012)
3. Medical Doctors at Georges Dumont Hospital, Moncton (Sept. 2012)
4. N.B. Nurses Union with 6900 members (Dec. 2011)
5. Medical Staff at Sackville Memorial Hospital (May 2012 and May 2013)
6. N.B. Lung Association (Nov. 2012)
7. Canadian Union of Public Employees with 30,000 members (April 2012)
8. NB National Farmers Union with 150 farms as members (March 2012)
9. The Federation Of Rural New Brunswickers (August 2012)
10. Maritime Conference of the United Church of Canada (March 2012)
11. Public Service Alliance of Canada-Atlantic Region (July 2013)
As well, here is an updated list of associations, cities and towns in N.B. that have passed resolutions calling for a moratorium within their municipal boundaries:
1. Association francophone des municipalites du Nouveau-Brunswick (51 municipalities)
2. Kent Co. Regional Service Commission (16 municipalities)
3. Moncton
4. Hillsborough
5. Alma
6. Sackville
7. Memramcook
8. Minto
9. Stanley
10. Bathurst
11. Sussex Corner
12. Quispamsis
13. Port Elgin
There is also an alliance of 30 community groups of concerned citizens throughout the province who continue to deliver letters to the Provincial Legislature demanding a moratorium on fracking.
The latest poll on this issue was observed by Corporate Research Associates and posted on the CBC website July 19, 2013. Among the 400 people polled:
-48% say shale gas is critically important or important, but not critical to the provinces economic future.
-44% say shale gas is not very important or not at all important to the economy.
With regard to the public perception of risk, on a scale of 1-10, 1 being extremely unsafe and 10 being extremely safe, 3.9 was the average rating.
Many New Brunswickers feel that if we care about the future prosperity of the province we have to accept the decision to continue to exploit whatever oil and gas remains underground. We don't. Sustainable energy can meet the needs of the present without compromising the efforts of future generations to meet their needs.
Donna Mclellan for the
Tantramar Alliance Against Hydrofracking
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