Younger Urges Real Consultation On Lake Ainslie Project

August 31, 2010

(Halifax, NS) Liberal energy and environment critic Andrew Younger wants the NDP government to address the concerns Lake Ainslie residents have regarding proposed onshore oil and gas exploration in their area.

“The public has not been adequately consulted or properly involved in this process,” says Younger. “Onshore drilling for shale gas requires a procedure called fracking - understandably, people near Lake Ainslie have questions. Unfortunately, those questions aren’t being answered by the Minister of Environment or his counterpart in Energy.”

Younger believes denying residents full access to information on the plans for drilling may fuel backlash to the project and heighten fears that the Lake Ainslie watershed could be negatively impacted.

“If the Dexter government believes in the safety and economic promise of onshore drilling in this area, it should make certain that the community is fully informed and involved in the decision,” states Younger.  “At this point, the public doesn’t even know if the exploration is for oil or gas, or where the proposed test drill site will be - a site the proponents say may be drilled as early as this year.”

Younger wants the Minister of Environment Sterling Belliveau to ensure that if the drilling proceeds, residents will have a clear mechanism by which to raise concerns and have them addressed in a timely manner.

“Now that other areas of Nova Scotia have also been identified as possible onshore drilling locations, this is no longer just a Cape Breton issue; communities right across this province will have questions and concerns,” explains Younger.

“The NDP government needs to be proactive - and most importantly, transparent - in addressing this issue immediately.”

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