Is it time to re-evaluate fracking in this province?

[Glacier]

The government bends over backwards to appease the environmentally damaging gas exploration and extraction process known as fracking. We don't know what chemicals they shoot down into our water tables (because they won't tell us), but we know they are using and contaminating a lot of water in the process.

"Despite an explicit promise in June this year, the provincial government failed to consult with the public before approving a significant water license to withdraw water via a pipeline from the Williston Reservoir, which feeds the WAC Bennett and Peace Canyon Dams," said Independent MLA Bob Simpson.

In the final days of the legislative session, Independent MLAs Vicki Huntington and Bob Simpson questioned the government about two pipeline proposals to withdraw water from the Williston Reservoir for use in hydraulic fracturing operations near Hudson’s Hope. In Question Period Rich Coleman, Minister for Energy and Mines, publicly stated there would be “extensive public consultation and discussion” and there would be “negotiations with First Nations” before these water pipelines would be approved.

“Despite the Minister’s promise, the Oil & Gas Commission approved the pipelines without consulting the public and before the water licenses were even approved,” said MLA Simpson. “Then this week a water license was approved for Talisman Energy without any notification to the public, let alone holding ‘extensive’ consultations and discussions.”

The second water license (for Canbriam Energy) is expected to be approved by week’s end, meaning that over 7.3 million liters of water may be withdrawn each year from the Williston Reservoir without public input or the promised negotiations with First Nations.

“This water is a public resource that has economic, social and ecological values beyond using it for the controversial ‘fracking’ process,” said Simpson. “The government had an obligation to fulfill the Minister’s promise to conduct “extensive” consultation before allowing this significant amount of water to be mixed with unknown toxins and then permanently removed from the Earth’s water cycle.”

Simpson is calling on the Minister of Environment to put a halt to new water permits and licenses in the area until baseline data is collected and the public and First Nations are extensively consulted. Simpson also suggested it is time for BC to consider putting a price on water for use in fracking operations in order to motivate the industry to reduce its demand on BC's fresh water ecosystems.

This spring both Simpson and Huntington called on the Premier to convene a Special Legislative Committee to examine the development of BC’s unconventional gas resources and, in particular, the massive amounts of fresh water being used for hydraulic fracturing.

[ILBT uh-huh]

I know this will get some negative feedback, but have you ever considered the water and chemicals they are using to frack is in search of hydrocarbons,and even a small drop hydrocarbos can pollute vast volumes of water? Why do you think they banned 2 cycle motors from most of the lakes in B.C? Hydrocarbons are extremely poisonous, more so than the minute amounts of chemicals they use in the fracking process. I would also think that the first thing drawn out of the well before the oil or gas would be the fracking water and chemicals. Remember, they use this to fracture the rocks so they can suck the hydrocarbons in, not push them away.

Am I wrong? If you know how or why this theory is wrong, please feel free to correct me with facts, not fearmongering.

[Lady tehMa]

2:47 trailer for a documentary on Fracking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OyCe9l1G7I

I watched the movie (darned if I can find the link), and found it disturbing, and a little frightening.

[Queen K]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-la ... e-14431512

Fire torrents out of kitchen taps is more than a little disturbing. Notice the article cites this as if those silly people can't possibly be serious, so they only "claim" to have fire out of their taps.

[Gilchy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-14431512

Fire torrents out of kitchen taps is more than a little disturbing. Notice the article cites this as if those silly people can't possibly be serious, so they only "claim" to have fire out of their taps.

Many people in rural Alberta have been able to ignite their well water since the wells were drilled, long before oil and gas companies began exploring and producing. In Alberta, shallow fracking in coal seams is done with liquid nitrogen, which is the same gas that our atmosphere is made of - and completely harmless.

In deeper gas and oil deposits in shale (such as NE BC), chemicals are used to make "slick sand", which squeezes into the micro-fissures in the shales, in order to free up channels where the trapped oil or gas (and water) can be extracted and produced. This is typically done at a depth of 1000s of metres, well below non-saline aquifers that could be used by people, animals or plants. The water used in the fracking process is typically produced non-potable water, that is not good for any other use.

Trust me when I say that Oil and Gas companies do not have free reign to do wahtever the please. Believe it or not, they actually do what they can to minimize any environmental and safety risks.