Community Letter Wat.. - Northern Rockies Regional Municipality

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality
Municipal Office 5319 - 50 th Avenue South
Bag Service 399, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0
Tel 250.774.2541 Fax 250.774.6794
www.northernrockies.ca
December 17, 2012
To Citizens of Northern Rockies Regional Municipality:
Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) wants to formally respond to a recent article
organized by Damien Gillis in consult with Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) and published in
“The Common Sense Canadian” newsletter which their publishers dub as BC's premier
environmental news journal. http://thecanadian.org/item/1805-fort-nelson-first-nation-todiscuss-massive-shale-gas-water-licenses-nov-13-in-vancouver
Council respectfully disagrees with the conclusions of above noted article. This article negatively
exaggerates the perils of water usage associated with shale gas extraction and alludes that both
Government and Industry’s scientific information cannot be trusted. The claim regarding
EnCana’s water license application is deceptive and inaccurate; in particular the assertion that if
the application is approved it will permit the Fort Nelson River and its water flow to be dammed
and diverted by a 20 meter concrete barrier across the river. We contacted EnCana Corporation
and they have confirmed that their plan calls for an intake on the side of the river, not a dam,
and that the MAXIMUM amount of water involves amounts to 0.03% of the mean annual flow.
The attached artist’s rendering of the intake, provided by EnCana and attached to the letter,
illustrates the scale of the proposed intake facility.
NRRM Mayor and Council share the same concerns that all residents have regarding the water
usage in our region. We want to progress economic development, such as shale gas extraction,
in an environmentally responsible manner using scientifically proven technological
advancements that measure and quantify water volumes and industry accountability. We want a
sustainable economic future balanced with industrial development for the Northern Rockies.
NRRM Mayor and Council rely on scientific and technical information such as rainfall charts or
river depth data available through Environment Canada and the Oil and Gas Commission. For
example, the following river water chart respecting the Liard River water since 1942 is available
from Environment Canada’s website: http://www.wsc.ec.gc.ca/applications/H2O/reporteng.cfm?station=10ED001&report=monthly&year=2011
Another quantifiable tool for statutory decision makers is the North East Water Tool (NEWT) that
ensures environmental flows in all rivers, streams and lakes in the northeast are maintained.
NEWT is a hydrology tool that supports the decision-making process and is designed to query
locations on rivers and lakes throughout northeast BC to determine the monthly and annual
runoff at that location.
NEWT is further designed to query all short-term water use approvals and all water licenses
issued pursuant to the Water Act, to measure how much water is used, such information is not
anecdotal. Further information can be obtained from the BC Oil and Gas Commission’s website
at http://bcogc.ca/publiczone/newt.aspx
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Finally, we want to note that missing from the water information equation is mention of the
earth’s natural water cycle and climate. Water changes from one reservoir to another from river
to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, snow
melt, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and subsurface flow.
NRRM encourages citizens to exercise their right to obtain factual information regarding the use
of water for fracking in the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. If we can assist you in
obtaining information, please call our office and we will help direct you to the appropriate person
or agency.
Sincerely,
Bill Streeper, Mayor
Cc:
Pat Pimm, MLA
BC Minister Steve Thomson, Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
BC Premier Christy Clark
BC Oil and Gas Commission
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