Halifax

What is fracking, and what could it mean for Nova Scotia?

7:00pm
- 9:00pm
Thursday March 13 2014

Across North America, communities are dealing with the impacts of a new way of getting oil and gas out of the ground.  This method, called fracking, has been linked to serious environmental and health impacts.  The Nova Scotia government is reviewing this method, and YOU have the chance to participate in this review.  We want you to learn about fracking, ask questions about it, and then participate in this review.  Here’s what you can do:

 

 

1. Read the report "Out of Control: Nova Scotia's experience with fracking for shale gas".  It gives the facts of when Nova Scotia was fracked, describes how several communities were affected, and describes the effects large scale fracking could have on the entire province.

 

 

2. Join us for a simple presentation and discussion about fracking to learn more, and to ask questions about anything relating to fracking.  There will be snacks, a short presentation by Jennifer West, Geoscience Coordinator called “What is fracking and what could it mean for Nova Scotia,”  followed by questions and discussions. 

 

 

March 13th, Ecology Action Centre, 2705 Fern Lane, 7-8pm

 

(Registration page coming soon, event is free but space is limited!)

 

3. Come for the presentation and stay to write a letter to the provincial review!  Public submissions to the review panel will be accepted until March 31st, 2014, so now is your chance to be heard!  We will provide resources for letter writing, and will be available to help people craft their letters.

 

 

March 13th, Ecology Action Centre, 2705 Fern Lane, 8-9pm

 

 

 

Background:

 

 

Fracking is the process of extracting fossil fuels from tight rock formations underground using a combination of horizontal drilling and high-volume slick-water injection into long laterals.  Put simply- forcing water, sand and chemicals into rock formations deep underground to release the trapped oil and gas.  It is a complex issue because it is associated with serious impacts at the surface (e.g. heavy truck traffic, transport of materials and chemicals, air pollution from diesel and gas well flaring, high volume surface water extraction, and wastewater production, storage, transportation and treatment) and also underground (e.g. injection of water and chemical mixture into the ground, at high pressures, with little understanding of short- and long-term environmental and health impacts, and which correlates to tremors and earthquakes in some areas).  In Nova Scotia, fracking occurred in the Kennetcook area in 2007 and 2008 – five exploration boreholes were drilled and fracking was used in three of these wells. 

 

 

As the founder of the Nova Scotia Fracking Resource and Action Coalition (NOFRAC) – a volunteer-based organization with almost 200 members across the province – the Ecology Action Centre is currently the chair of the steering committee.  NOFRAC published a report on fracking in Nova Scotia, “Out of Control: Nova Scotia’s experience with fracking for shale gas”, which is available here.  Please visitwww.nofrac.com for more information on this coalition, and to get involved.

 

 

The provincial government launched a review of fracking which will end in June 2014.  Part of this process includes accepting submissions from the public.  Submissions can include reports, news articles, letters, or anything else you think the panel should read.  For more information about the provincial review, click here, and to submit information to the panel, click here.