The BC government recently launched a new website, FracFocus.ca that provides information on chemicals used in the fracking process at particular sites. Although the government is requiring oil and gas companies to provide the information, they are not required to do so until 30 days after they have completed their project.
After complaints about the water started to flood in from residents of Pavilion, Wyoming, the EPA decided to do some testing. Results showed "that ground water in the Pavilion aquifer contain[ed] methane, benzene, other petroleum hydrocarbons and other chemical compounds." The toxic chemicals are suspected to be the result of nearby fracking.
Several New Brunswick municipalities have passed moratoriums or outright bans on seismic testing, the first step in oil and gas exploration, within their municipal boundaries. Unfortunately, this represents the full extension of municipal powers. A company can still move ahead with drilling should they choose. Although some argue it is unlikely any company would take that step without conducting seismic testing first, municipalities would like to have more control over the industry. In the end, the province is able to override all municipal decisions.
Concerns about water safety have prompted Sackville New Brunswick's city council to ask the province to establish a moratorium on hydrofracking until the a strong regulatory framework and full protection of aquifers and other water sources has been established. Hyrdofracking, the process of extracting natural gas from shale deposits, is highly controversial. In the States where it is broadly used it has been associated with serious environmental problems including water contamination and air pollution.
