Feedback on fracking
GNWT approves bypassing an environmental assessment with conditions, despite some groups' concerns
Laura Busch
Northern News Services
Published Monday, May 5, 2014
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Despite public concern and a petition signed by 790 NWT residents from 24 communities asking any future fracking projects be subject to a thorough environmental review, the GNWT is not yet recommending Husky Energy's application to drill and frack four horizontal exploratory wells in the Sahtu go through an environmental assessment.
Environmental assessments are used to decide if a full environmental impact review is needed. Several opportunities remain for either the Sahtu Land and Water Board, the Mackenzie Valley Review Board or the GNWT to trigger a full review during the approval process.
In a letter posted to the SLWB's public registry April 30, Terry Hall, director of land use and sustainability with the Department of Lands, stated the GNWT "is confident that the implementation of the attached recommendations will ensure that the project will not have significant adverse impacts to the environment."
Among its recommendations, the GNWT pointed out that the type of water licence required for the project should be a Type A but Husky has only applied for a Type B.
Generally, Type A licences are necessary for projects more likely to have significant environmental impacts and require a more thorough review, including a public hearing.
Type B licences, which can be approved by the board alone, only apply to projects where waste is deposited in a sump, or pit. Husky has applied to use some of the waste collected from drilling near the surface to spread on its roads, which in and of itself requires a Type A licence.
Hall also suggests that Husky be required to provide a total of $5.56 million in reclamation securities for both its water licence and land use permit applications.
The land and water board closed the period for public comments on Husky's preliminary screening April 28. More than 70 individuals and organizations submitted letters.
While the majority of those letters called for an environmental impact assessment for all future fracking projects, several voiced support for Husky's exploratory wells, stating the exploration of the Canol Oil Shale play is still in its early days.
Others expressed opinions that fell somewhere in the middle, stating they would support the approval of these wells but urged a thorough assessment before Husky entered into the development stage.
A group of Tulita residents, including Sheila Karkagie who spearheaded the petition, submitted a joint letter urging a full review of the potential for environmental impacts.
"People do not know enough about what is involved, and this is already causing divisions in our communities," the letter states.
"Please do the right thing and refer this and any more fracking applications to a
full environmental assessment.
"The first fracking application should have gone through environmental assessment to educate people, but now that we have fracked (two wells), it is time to have a real debate in the Sahtu and the NWT."
Meanwhile, a number of Sahtu business owners, including David Hodgson of Hodgson's Contracting Inc., wrote letters in support of Husky's application.
"A significant part of our business income comes from working for the holders of exploration licences in the Tulita District," wrote Hodgson.
"It has come to my attention that there are individuals and groups that have been raising concerns on horizontal drilling and the impact it has on the environment.
"In my opinion, such concerns raised by those individuals and groups are based on assumptions."
Husky Energy now has until May 5 to respond to the comments.
The land and water board is expected to submit its recommendations later this month. The board could also send the application back to Husky for revision or more information.
