September 25 2008 » News Clippings
Municipalities’ Vote Signals Province Wide Coalbed Methane Concerns
PENTICTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA—(eMediaWorld – Sept. 25, 2008) – The Union of BC Municipalities today passed a resolution at its convention in Penticton urging Gordon Campbell to suspend Shell’s coalbed methane drilling plans in the Sacred Headwaters, the source of BC’s Skeena, Nass and Stikine Rivers. The City of Prince Rupert sponsored the resolution.
“We hope Gordon Campbell will hear the thousands of BC residents who have voiced strong opposition to Shell’s activities,” said Doug Donaldson, a Hazelton, BC council who voted for the resolution. “Northwest residents do not want Shell conducting a risky experiment at the headwaters of our wild salmon rivers.”
“Shell’s project lacks social license from the region’s residents, including First Nations,” added Donaldson. “The province’s decision-making process must include a clear role for communities in deciding whether these kinds of projects move ahead.”
Other municipal leaders say the resolution is equally relevant in other areas of BC where coalbed methane drilling has been proposed, such as the Elk Valley near Fernie and the Similkameen Valley near Princeton.
“The fact that coalbed methane has met with serious concern and opposition in communities across BC highlights the urgent need for the province to take a second look at this industry. It is inconsistent to legislate greenhouse gas reductions while subsidizing this kind of fossil fuel extraction,” said Fernie Mayor Randal Macnair.
“Our provincial government has brought, and will continue to bring, worthwhile initiatives and innovations to our province – and in particular to our community. However, sanctioning coalbed methane exploration and development is not one of them,” said Mayor of Princeton Randy McLean. “Independent scientific experts advise us that we are putting our water resources at risk for the sake of a couple full-time jobs and a small amount of government revenue.”
Opponents of coalbed methane development cite habitat fragmentation, risks to water, ineffective regulations, and a lack of local economic benefits as primary concerns. To date, coalbed methane has never been developed in a wild salmon watershed.
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