A moratorium on natural gas fracking is one of the election promises on the agenda after Brian Gallant’s Liberals formed a majority in the New Brunswick provincial election last week. Gallant “has promised to place a moratorium on the shale gas industry until risks to the environment, human health, and water are known,” CP reported, the morning after an election that was widely seen as a referendum on fracking. “This pause for the right debate is exactly what we need at this time,” said Lois Corbett, Executive Director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick. “Is it absolutely clear what way the new government will go? No, but it gives folks an opportunity to collect their breath and work together to develop a common solution.” In neighbouring Nova Scotia, Energy Minister Andrew Younger is standing by an approach to “responsible and sustainable development” that includes a fracking moratorium, in the face of criticism from federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver. Dalhousie University atmospheric scientist Thomas J. Duck has that story on iPolitics.ca.
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