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As the Houston government pursues interest in onshore natural gas, opponents who were once part of a successful movement against fracking more than a decade ago are reuniting to oppose new gas exploration.
Barbara Jack, a retired farmer from South Brook, N.S., attended an engagement session on the issue in Amherst. She says there is likely nothing that could be said to change her steadfast opposition to fracking.
“There are some people here tonight I haven’t seen since the last time we had a meeting to oppose fracking and we’re all I think devastated that it’s happening again,” said Jack.
“There are health risks, there are financial risks, there are risks to the water, it’s insanity,” she added.
Last year, the Houston government removed a 2014 moratorium on fracking in Nova Scotia. Fracking involves the pumping of a mix of water, sand and other additives into wells under high pressure to release natural gas.
Dalhousie University is overseeing a $30 million government project on the potential for natural gas production in Nova Scotia and community readiness. Most of the money is aimed at incentives for developers. It’s estimated the province has an estimated 198-billion cubic metres of onshore natural gas.
Dalhousie is reviewing submissions from seven companies interested in exploratory onshore natural gas projects in Nova Scotia.
Part of the process involves public engagement. But tensions boiled over at a consultation in Windsor on Monday with some protesters chanting “no fracking” during the meeting.
The chanting drew criticism from Premier Tim Houston who shared a video of the protest on Wednesday saying the opponents are drowning out other voices.
“There is another cohort of Nova Scotians who have concerns about their jobs, the economic prospects, they are tired of working in this industry in other parts of the world and raising their children two weeks on, and two weeks off,” Houston told reporters on Thursday.
“Both cohorts are to be respected in this process and that is what is happening.”
Houston is promoting resource development, including onshore natural gas and offshore wind energy, to boost the province’s finances which hit a record deficit of $1.2 billion.
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Dave Risk, an oil and gas researcher at St. Francis Xavier University, is also a part of the research team answering questions at public engagement sessions. He says there’s been an evolution in research, regulation and industry practice since the moratorium went into place.
“So we’re doing research on health, infrastructure like roads infrastructure, on emissions, on water, groundwater quality, quantity, wastewater disposal and various other areas. Just trying to understand the geoscience that’s part of the drilling, plus all of these other issue areas that are associated and could affect communities,” said Risk.
As the province and Dalhousie led meetings wrap up in Pictou County, advocacy groups are also organizing.
Ken Summers, a member of East Hants Fracking Opposition Group and NOFRAC, was part of a community meeting in Kennetcook, N.S. on Wednesday and is skeptical of the consultation process.
“The government and Dalhousie aren’t really interested in public engagement. These are open houses that are ticking the box so that they can say they did public engagement,” he said.
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