Shale gas report by health officer may remain secret, Dr. Eilish Cleary looked at potential health impacts of the shale gas industry

Shale gas report by health officer may remain secret, Dr. Eilish Cleary looked at potential health impacts of the shale gas industry by CBC News, October 3, 2012
The Alward government will not say whether it will release a report by the province’s chief medical officer of health on the potential health impacts of the shale gas industry. Dr. Eilish Cleary spent part of the summer drafting recommendations for the provincial government on possible shale gas development in New Brunswick. She was to look at the potential health impacts of the industry and what the provincial government should do to minimize them. But Tracey Burkhardt, a spokeswoman with the Department of Health, told CBC News that Cleary won’t be discussing her recommendations publicly. The report will be circulated internally as part of the provincial government’s discussion on shale gas, Burkhardt said. … In May, when Cleary undertook the review, she said “there would need to be some investment in resources and infrastructure to ensure that the negative impacts are mitigated and minimized.” Cleary, the province’s top public health official, said it would be important to try to track the health effects of the industry, but that it would be expensive.

The provincial government has promised to release the results of a separate report by Prof. Louis LaPierre on his public consultations regarding proposed rule changes for the industry. LaPierre’s report is expected this fall. But officials say it’s too early to commit to releasing Cleary’s recommendations publicly. [Emphasis added]

[Refer also to: Shale gas opponents demand release of health study and public consultations ]

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