Nominated for Eco-Award!
Each year, the Nova Scotia Environment Network invites people to nominate Eco-Heroes of the Year, and a NOFRAC member wanted to nominate all who work on shale gas issues for this award. How nice! Here is her submission.
Protesters from the North Shore speaking with Minister of Energy, Charlie Parker
I would suggest that this year the group award be presented to a movement, the movement to stop shale gas and fracking.
There is no one group which did this work on its own, not even the NOFRAC coalition, which represents some, but not all, of the opposition. I believe this award should honor all the groups and individuals who realized the seriousness of the issue and quickly came together to oppose fracking and shale gas development in Nova Scotia. There are local groups and individuals in communities throughout the province, church groups, environmental groups, university and high school students, grassroots members of political parties, artists and more, all of whom worked in many different ways, sometimes together, sometimes separately, to put this issue front and centre on the political agenda.
Fantastic anti-fracking float from a North Shore parade
From March 2011, when few people in NS had even heard the word fracking to May 2012, just over a year, this movement has organized protests, petition campaigns, public education campaigns, media information, lobbying, several websites, newsletters, a province-wide conference and public events in communities around the province. A report has been prepared based on information obtained through freedom of information requests; fracking songs have been written and sung.
In one year, a groundswell of opinion has grown, the issue has gained broad public support, and there is the concrete result of a two-year extension to the review process. While this is not a full victory, it is very important progress. Initially, the government did not recognize any problems with fracking. Now the government is admitting that the issue is complex, and involves more problems than they realized. This is a major step in the right direction – to which many people and groups contributed.
Billboard in a Cape Breton community near Lake Ainslie
The shale gas industry is a broad environmental threat. It threatens climate, fresh water, fisheries, local food sustainability, renewable energy development and health. Pitted against one of the strongest and wealthiest industries in the world, with 12 full time lobbyists in Halifax, as well as company representatives all pushing the government to open the doors and allow shale gas development and fracking, this movement of anti-fracking volunteers has not one person paid to work on the issue. Many people worked long hours with great commitment and as a result have slowed down what could have been a devastating decision to allow shale gas and fracking in Nova Scotia. Every person who contributed to keeping fracking out of Nova Scotia, at least for now, has done a service to the entire province and has helped slow the progress of this industry, helping our neighbors in other provinces and states as well. We know this movement will continue towards a 10 year moratorium or a ban. Everyone in this movement should be honored for their work.
Change Can Happen
Small but mighty group of protesters
To find out more about this issue, check out the Save Lake Ainslie webpage www.savelakeainslie.org or Protect Lake Ainslie on Facebook.
Nova Scotia Fracking Review Extended
As NOFRAC grows, we will provide posts from coalition members across the province which address local issues, or which comment on activity in other jurisdictions.
Noel River, Hants County, NS
This week, the Nova Scotia government announced that the review of hydraulic fracturing will be extended by two years, to 2014. This is great news, as it is accompanied by a promise to suspend shale gas permits until that time. We also hope that the scope of the review is expanded to include important aspects that were noted by the public, outlined in the government’s What We Heard document which summarized public comments on the scope of the review. Some of these issues include impacts on:
- Communities and human health;
- Forests and flora and fauna;
- Agriculture;
- Cost-benefit to society and to the economy;
- Transportation infrastructure;
- Tourism; and
- Fish and fisheries.
The coalition is still working hard to spread knowledge and understanding of these issues, and is targeting MLAs which cover these issues in their portfolios or who live in areas where fracking might occur. It is shocking that some still have limited understanding of what fracking is, and the negative effects associated with it. During this extended review period, let us continue our work knowing that no fracking will be allowed in Nova Scotia until 2014.
Jennifer West, chair of NOFRAC
Welcome!
- Example of a shale gas operation in a rural community
We’re so glad you stopped by. You probably found us because you are concerned about fracking, or because you live in Nova Scotia, or both. The Nova Scotia Fracking Resource and Action Coalition is a strong group of citizens and organizations who are also concerned. We are in regular contact, and we have teleconferences every month to support local activities, protests, conference planning, and other issues. We are pretty green when it comes to media and networking, but we felt it was really important to create a website where you could find resources about this issue. After all, Resource is our middle name! Please check out our huge list of resources for articles, reports, peer-reviewed research, news and websites relating to fracking. We hope you find what you are looking for, and that you drop us a line sometime to let us know you’re out there. We hope you will join us if you are concerned about fracking in Nova Scotia too.
We are hosting a lobby day in March, and a rally in April, please stay tuned to find out more about these events!
