County’s fracking decision lauded by citizens by The Truro Daily News, May 17, 2013
When Catherine Duchesneau heard the news, it brought her to tears. “I have just found out they are not allowing the fracking water to go through the system at this point and I am crying with happiness,” she said, in an e-mail to the Truro Daily News, which had just posted a story on the website of Colchester County Council’s decision on Thursday night to deny an application by Atlantic Industrial Services (AIS) to discharge fracking wastewater into the municipal sewer system. “I feel like this is a momentous moment,” said the West Colchester resident, who had been one of the appellants during recent appeal hearings held by the county. … “I also want to add how happy I am that the councillors were wise enough to make the decision they made, it was extremely brave and I hope it sets a precedence,” Duchesneau said. “If the rest of the world could see what happens in Colchester County, it might make a difference, and the world would be a better, safer place to live. I hugged my children so hard tonight, they are as giddy as me, but I doubt they understand why,” she said. … “This is a thorough and thoughtful decision,” added fellow appellant Mark Tipperman, a member of the NOFRAC Steering Committee. “We are especially pleased to see the (Colchester Council appeal) committee recognize the importance of not proceeding without an understanding of the long-term cumulative effects of repeated discharge of treated fracking wastewater into the Chiganois River and Bay of Fundy,” he said. “To have a democratic process come to such a positive conclusion is great,” Tipperman said, regarding the number of appeals that had been filed and the fact that approximately 100 people had attended each of the two hearing sessions held in Debert. Tipperman said NOFRAC now is calling on the province to conduct a broader review of the impacts of the shale gas and fracking industry on health and the environment, and to enact either a province-wide ban on the development of shale gas and hydraulic fracturing, or at minimum a 10-year legislated moratorium. Calls on Friday to AIS for comment regarding the decision were not returned. [Emphasis added]
Fracking water banned from Debert sewers, Atlantic Industrial Services asked to pour 4.5 million litres of treated water into system by CBC News, May 17, 2013
Nova Scotia’s Colchester County is blocking a company’s plan to dump fracking waste water in the sewer in Debert, a system that is connected to the Bay of Fundy. An appeal committee has unanimously rejected the idea Thursday. The company, Atlantic Industrial Services, wanted permission to get rid of 4.5 million litres of fracking waste. The water is from drilling operations several years ago near Kennetcook in East Hants County. This ruling overturns a decision two months ago. Committee members say there are too many unknowns to allow the disposal of the waste, with no independent verification of which chemicals are going down the drain.
In its decision, the county writes: “it is not the role of the Municipality to allow the Bay of Fundy to be a petri dish for fracking wastewater.”
The provincial government gave the plan partial approval, while the company argued the water will meet federal guidelines. But the committee reviewing the project on behalf of the county said important information was missing, specifically, the chemical composition of the fracking water. “The river and the Bay of Fundy are too important to permit such discharge on an experimental basis.” … “It is the Municipality’s role to ensure the environment is protected now and in the future,” the decision said. “In that role, it must exercise caution to act only when the information is complete.” In September, the company told CBC News that “Nova Scotia is naturally high in many normally occurring radioactive materials.” It said the water would not be released until it met national guidelines. [Emphasis added]
Fracking water won’t be sent through sewer system in Colchester County by Aaron Beswick, May 17, 2013, Chronicle Herald
Treated fracking wastewater will not be allowed to be discharged through the sewer system of the Municipality of Colchester County. After hearing two days of public presentations, an appeals committee voted Thursday night to overturn a previous decision that would have allowed Atlantic Industrial Services of Debert to discharge 4.5 million litres of hydraulic fracturing wastewater through the county sewer system. “The committee feels that there is insufficient information to satisfy itself that the ingredients in the fracking wastewater and methods used in the fracturing process pose no health, safety or environmental hazard,” reads a news release from the county. “Neither is it satisfied the fracking wastewater would not interfere with the operation of its wastewater system.” The water, which originates from exploratory drilling done in Hants County between 2005 and 2007, is currently being held in two lagoons on site in Debert. … Atlantic Industrial Services had originally been approved to treat the water through a nine-step process that would have involved pumping it through multiple carbon filters and other equipment. What will be done with the water now remains to be seen. [Emphasis added]
Source: Municipality of Colchester Sewer Use Appeals Committee Decision on Application by AIS