With Shoal Point Energy expected to submit a project description for its well near Little Port, a neighbouring community to Lark Harbour on the south shore of the Bay of Islands, Simon Jansen was in town to provide information on the controversial drilling technique.
The chair of the Western Environment Centre repeatedly said he was attempting to be neutral on the subject, just presenting the facts as he knew them, but Roy Rowsell still accused him of being biased. The Little Rapids man said Jansen was an environmentalist looking to sway people’s opinions against hydraulic fracturing.
“If they had a choice to close this down today, there wouldn’t be a possibility they would be talking,” Rowsell said about environmental groups.
“Are they going to give you an unbiased situation? They are not.”
Rowsell said he has studied the process on his own, spoken to company and government officials about it, and he contradicted some of the facts presented by Jansen at the information session.
“You fellows are totally destroying the concept,” he said. “ ... There was not one slide you had up there that wasn’t negative on fracking. If (Jansen) had your choice, the men would be rowing out to the lobster pots here instead of using gas, and you would have left yesterday to come down on a horse.”
Joe Park, a former Lark Harbour resident who now lives in Mount Moriah, argued with Rowsell directly on a number of points.
“This is a bad situation for Lark Harbour,” he said. “It should be shut down immediately, and all the people in this town should be dead against it.”
Park said the oil in the area is not going anywhere, the demand is not going anywhere, so he suggests the people should lobby to wait until hydraulic fracturing is determined to be 100 per cent safe.
“This company coming here has never fracked before,” he said. “So we on the west coast of Newfoundland are going to be guinea pigs for this company from somewhere else in Canada to make a fortune off our lands.”
“ ... There was not one slide you had up there that wasn’t negative on fracking. If (Jansen) had your choice, the men would be rowing out to the lobster pots here instead of using gas, and you would have left yesterday to come down on a horse.” - Little Rapids resident Roy Rowsell
The argument came to the point where Jansen had to intervene and ask the two men to let others speak. John Parson, the town’s mayor, also had to do the same after some left the meeting.
There was a near-capacity crowd at the town hall for the meeting, and many people were concerned about the possible negative impacts the fracking process could have on the town. Some argued there would be little local economic benefits, while there were also concerns about the chemicals being used in such a process, well leaks, waste water issues, and any deterrence to tourism and possible impacts on the fishery.
Lorraine Humber, a retired nurse, said she is scared of the process and the possible ramifications of it. If it goes ahead, she said she would pack up and leave.
“I have big time health concerns,” she said. “I am very worried about the cancer issue. God knows we have enough cancers in this area as it is. I get sick to my stomach every time I hear about fracking.”
There were several people in the audience who spoke in favour of the project, mainly due to the possible job opportunities that would result. However, that drew a lot of skepticism from the crowd.
Jansen said these types of discussions are beneficial for the people to generate the facts and come to their own conclusions. No matter the decision to support or oppose the development, he said it is important the people unite. He encouraged everybody to get involved in the public consultation process when it is initiated, and let their opinions be known to government.
churley thewesternstar.com
Twitter: WS_CoryHurley
so ed. nasty...what makes you so sure she's not right? research before you comment!!