Keeping New Brunswick's Fracked Waste Water out of Nova Scotia

Members of the Ecology Action Centre raise awareness about fracking waste water at the Black Market on July 31st. [Photo courtesy of EAC]

By Dana Lipnicki

K'JIPUKTUK (Halifax) - On Wednesday, July 31, The Ecology Action Centre and the Black Market teamed up in hopes of raising awareness about fracking waste water.

Set up on Grafton Street, they collected over eight pages of signatures from individuals concerned with keeping New Brunswick’s wastewater out of Nova Scotia. They also sold ‘No Fracking’ signs at cost for individuals to show their support. These can still be purchased at the Black Market, and range from $3.50 to $4.50.

For those who still don’t know, fracking works by drilling shale located deep within the ground, and using a potent water-chemical recipe to fracture the rock. This releases the natural gas or oil within it. While the idea of fracking isn’t new, what is fairly new is the high pressures of chemicals being used (such as formaldehyde and benzene) as well as the horizontal drilling techniques.

As both of these practices are only around ten years old, we simply do not have enough information to understand any long-term effects they might have. In Nova Scotia alone, 680 wells are proposed to go in between Truro and Wolfville.

The freshwater used in the fracking process will come from our province’s rivers and lakes. As there is not currently a way to take the chemicals out of the water once it has been used for fracking, it becomes wastewater, unfit for consumption.

New Brunswick – a fracking hotspot right now – is currently dealing with their growing waste water problem by selling it to a private company in Nova Scotia, where some was released through the local sewage system in Windsor and into the Bay of Fundy.

In addition to the vast amounts of freshwater being used and polluted as a result of fracking, this also increases the likelihood of potential contamination to our drinking water. As one might expect, contaminated drinking water has the potential to result in a wide range of health risks. Fracking is not simply an economic or environmental issue – it is also a health issue. Reseachers at the University of New Brunswick have argued that fracking should halt until an environmentally sound disposal method is determined.

While keeping fracking out of our province will be an uphill battle that will require the support of thousands of Nova Scotians, there have been some successes.

The Ecology Action Centre is a co-founder of NOFRAC, a coalition that includes over 15 local grassroots groups as well as provincial and environmental organizations. The coalition works to educate the public on issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing, and pressures the government to launch necessary reviews. So far there has been measurable success in slowing down the process for companies looking to frack our province.

The bottom line is this: though relatively divided, just over half of Nova Scotians oppose fracking, even if tighter government regulations are imposed. We all have a duty to ensure the health of ourselves, our children, and of course, the planet. Let’s invest in a future we’d all like to live in. To find out more information on how you can get involved, check out the Ecology Action Centre’s website at www.ecologyaction.ca or the NOFRAC website at www.nofrac.wordpress.com.

Dana Lipnicki is a member of the Ecology Action Centre.

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