Submission to the NL External Panel Review

on Hydraulic Fracturing

by

“Members & Friends of Whaleback Nordic

For a Clean and Healthy Environment”

Happy Outdoorsman, Jack Lamond in Aiden Mahoney’s photo entitled “Solitude”. This photo was the winner of the worldwide Kodak photo-of-the-day contest and was the feature photo on the big screen in Times Square on New Year’s eve 2005.

(Location 12 km downwind of Shoal Point Energy drill pad)

20 Juniper Ave. Kippens NL A2N 3E8 May 24, 2015 Dear Dr. Gosine and Panel Members: My name is Graham Oliver and I spent my entire career teaching physical education and promoting healthy active living at St. Michael’s in Stephenville Crossing. I have also been active in my community promoting Active Living in the Great Outdoors by participating in silent sports such as cross country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, cross country running and wilderness expeditions with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Program. I am a founding member of “Members and Friends of Whaleback Nordic for a Clean and Healthy Environment”. I have been asked to make this submission to the Panel on behalf of the group. I will be begin our submission with our Position Statement:

Position Statement We respectfully request that the Panel recommend to the NL Minister of Natural Resources that a ban be imposed on hydraulic fracturing in our province until it has been scientifically proven safe. In addition, we ask that approval to proceed with hydraulic fracturing cannot be given until the project proponent has received a bona fide Social License (permission to proceed) from the residents of the area designated for development.

Introduction to Our Group

The Whaleback Nordic Ski Club is located in Stephenville and has a membership of 340 members. The club has been an enthusiastic leader in the promotion of Active Healthy Living and it strives to be a good steward of the environment. I can state unequivocally that those who have signed up with “Members and Friends of Whaleback Nordic for a Clean and Healthy Environment” are closely connected to their environment and are keenly aware of the potential harmful effects associated with hydraulic fracturing. It is worthy to note that when Shoal Point Energy and Black Spruce Exploration teamed up in the spring of 2013 and began issuing press releases stating that it was their joint intention to proceed with hydraulic fracturing in Western NL, concerned members and friends of Whaleback Nordic gathered at the ski chalet to participate in a slide presentation on hydraulic fracturing. Following the presentation there were many questions about hydraulic fracturing as people were aware that it was a controversial method of oil extraction that was being put under the critical eye of citizens in jurisdictions all over the world.

Our group is also aware that New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec have imposed moratoria on hydraulic fracturing and that in December of 2014, Governor Cuomo of New York imposed a ban on hydraulic fracturing and that the citizens of New York were unrelenting in expressing their poignant concerns about Human Health and their cherished Environment. It can also be said that members of our group are very concerned about Climate Change and how it is our moral obligation to be proactive in lobbying governments for action on the most critical issue of our time. It has been well-documented that fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from hydraulic fracturing operations significantly contribute to Global Warming.

While the oil and gas industry may look upon the Environment as a “venue that contains a finite resource ready to be exploited”, we look upon the Environment as a playground and a life-giver. It is a renewable venue where we live actively in the Great Outdoors. While this may sound like a frivolous perk to an oil executive at a shareholders’ meeting, it is not. We cherish the Natural Environment and fervently stand up to protect it so that it can be passed on for the benefit of the next generation.

************************

A Collage:

*Living Actively in the Great Outdoors*

Our Environment is not just a Resource Venue to be exploited …. Our Environment is the “Great Outdoors”. It is a life-giver that sustains us as humans living on a fragile world.

*Romaines River Valley - Back Country Ski Touring*

Whaleback Nordic Ski Club operates a full service ski park with 20 kms of nested loop trails, a ski chalet, night skiing, Jackrabbit Ski Program and adult instruction. The ski club was founded in1966. In addition to hosting a full calendar of events within the ski park, Whaleback Nordic often hosts back country tours complete with boil-ups on the trail, such the one depicted in this photo to the headwaters of Romaines River. Romaines River, a listed salmon river and would potentially be targeted as a source of fresh water if hydraulic fracturing proceeds in Western NL. Cross country skiing is a dynamic, aerobic activity. Breathing fresh air and dipping a kettle into a pristine brook for a boil-up on the trail are rights that we dearly cherish. We are very concerned about the potential harmful environmental side-effects that are associated with hydraulic fracturing, if it were to proceed.

*Appalachian Trail - Port aux Basques - Tip of Northern Peninsula A Demanding Challenge and A Hiker’s Wilderness Dream*

The Appalachian Trail Follows the Gulf of St. Lawrence Coastline

Approaching the Lewis Hills on the Appalachian Trail (http://www.wecormack.ca/lewis.html)

The Appalachian Trail was extended into NL in the late 1990s and a linear pathway has been designated from Port aux Basques to the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula. Hikers from all over the world come to NL to embark on the 700 kilometre trek that follows a coastal route along the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Why does the Appalachian Trail cross the Gulf and extend into NL? Because it was a new frontier with pristine wilderness where hikers could gaze from mountain tops out at uninterrupted shorelines. The Appalachian Trail Authority does not want to see our coastline become an industrial landscape with Oil and Gas installations.

*Protecting the Wild Rivers of NL*

(The Serpentine River Valley - located between Stephenville and Corner)

There are in excess of 50 salmon rivers along the west coast of Newfoundland and one of the most pristine waterways is the Serpentine. It is nestled in between the Blow-Me-Down Mountains and the Lewis Hills. The Serpentine River that drains from Serpentine Lake was a favourite of world famous salmon angler Guy Wolfe. If hydraulic fracturing were approved, rivers such as the Serpentine would be a logical source of fresh water. The same could be said for similar salmon rivers located in close proximity to the hydraulic fracturing operations. NL is known worldwide for its premium salmon rivers. Our waterways are habitat for wildfowl and an abundance of wild animals that seek refuge in wilderness valleys such as the Serpentine. It is a piece of our landscape that is too precious to lease out to the oil and gas industry as a potential resource.

*Kayaking the West Coast*

(photo by Keith Nicol)

The island of Newfoundland is a world class kayaking destination with 7000 small islands just off its coastline. Paddlers from all over the world come here to tour.. The Gravels in Port au Port is an excellent launch point for kayakers. Outfitters from the mainland often use the Gravels as their point of origin when they embark on multi-day paddling tours along the west coast.

*The Gravels Walking Trail- Port au Port West*

The “Gravels” is a popular walking trail extending 3.5 kms along the shores of Port au Port Bay. Is located 8 km downwind of Shoal Point, where Shoal Point Energy proposed to frack an exploratory well in 2013. If hydraulic fracturing is permitted to go ahead in this area, there would be a dramatic change in scenery as the trail looks right out on Shoal Point to the NW. Because of its location, the Gravels is a favourite tourist stopover as the trail provides a panoramic view of Port au Port Bay right across to Long Point and in the NE, you can see Fox Island and the snow-capped Lewis Hills.

*Whale Watching from the Shoreline of Port au Port Bay*

Port au Port Bay is a unique bay with a narrow 9 km opening to the open ocean. Its horseshoe configuration allows for whale watching from the shoreline. Whales can often be seen breaching as they feed along the shoreline. Studies have shown that seismic testing which often accompanies oil and gas exploration can be stressful to whales and to various species of marine life.

*Camping at Two-Gut Pond a Traditional Camping & Fishing Spot*

Two-Gut Pond (centre of photo) on the southeastern shore of Port au Port Bay has been a traditional camping location for families of the Port au Port for generations. It is also a popular fishing spot and a great adventure playground for children to participate in water-sports within the confines of a protected pond that is connected to the bay by a narrow channel.

*Tour du Port au Port - Two Day Stage Race*

The Tour du Port au Port is a two-day stage race that follows a circuitous route around the Port au Port Peninsula. It features stunning views and an extremely demanding course complete with long ascents up onto the highlands of the peninsula and exciting steep descents from mountain tops to the ocean below. Clean air, friendly people, scenic communities and challenging terrain attract bikers to the Tour du Port au Port.

*Snowshoeing the Coastline of Port au Port Bay*

(Aiden Mahoney Photo)

Snowshoeing the shores of Port au Port Bay is a special trek as snowshoers are exposed to a variety of seabirds and marine life such as seals that seek shelter close to the shoreline. Snowshoers go there to interface with nature and to smell the salt air. The Bog-Walkers Hiking Group (above) participates in 30+ expeditions a year.

*A View from Pine Tree Mountain Looking at Shoal Point, Ground Zero for Hydraulic Fracturing*

Hiking and mountain biking to the top of Pine Tree on Table Mountain is a popular activity for residents of the area. The view from the top is spectacular and its hiking route is well known for its amazing sunsets complete with spectacular reflections on Port au Port Bay. The return trip is to the top is 10 km.

*The Port au Port is a Popular Place for Bird Watching*

It is well known that oil and gas development and bird watching are incompatible. Flare stacks often cause migratory birds to become disoriented and the loud noise, toxic fumes, and heavy traffic that are prevalent at oil and gas operations cause stress in bird populations that nest in the area.

*Scuba Diving in Port au Port Bay and Along the West Coast*

Port au Port Bay is a popular scuba diving destination which features an abundance of marine life and a unique coastal geology. Divers have noticed in recent years that scallops have disappeared in Port au Port Bay and they have wondered out loud if oil and gas exploration and seismic surveys are related to the disappearance of the scallops. Research students from Memorial University are doing research on the collapse of the scallop fishery in the bay.

*NL is Internationally Famous for Salmon Fishing*

There are 40 scheduled salmon rivers on the west coast of NL and anglers from all over the world come to the province to wet a line. Hydraulic fracturing requires 2 -10 million gallons of fresh water per frack. Wells are usually fracked a number of times. In Nova Scotia, Triangle Resources received permits from Environment NS to draw an inordinate amount of water from Noel’s Brook. If hydraulic fracturing is permitted to proceed in NL, the salmon rivers would most likely be targeted as a source of freshwater.

*Lobster Fishers in Port au Port Bay Report Best Catch in Years*

2015 has been a banner season for lobster fishers in Port au Port Bay. Some fishers were catching up to 800 pounds a day at the start of the season and with prices over $6.00 per pound, they earn over $4000 .for a day’s catch. This is good news for local fishers who claim that when oil and gas exploration was going on in Port au Port Bay, their lobster catches declined dramatically.

*Newfoundlanders and Labradorians Are Hunters & Gatherers*

For generations Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been hunters and gatherers. The industrialization of our coastline would jeopardize this long established right to pursue a self-sustaining lifestyle by harvesting food from our local environment. There have been numerous reports of cattle and wild animals dying as a result of drinking toxic waste water near hydraulic fracturing operations.

*Berry Picking - A Cherished Tradition*

Berry Picking, especially along our coast lines, has been a long-cherished tradition in our province. It is an activity that would be jeopardized if oil and gas development were to proceed. For generations, Shoal Point has been a favourite berry-picking location for people of the Port au Port Peninsula. When Shoal Point Energy set up drilling operations on the tip of Shoal Point, the 8 km road out to the end of the point was gated and locked. “No Trespassing” signs were posted on the gate. Residents are concerned that the bogs near the Shoal Point drill site may now be contaminated. If hydraulic fracturing proceeds, the ecosystems along our coastlines will be violated.

*Drinking Clean Water from a Brook is a Cherished Tradition*

While many provinces and states have lost the privilege to enjoy a drink from a brook running down off the mountains on its journey to the sea, Newfoundland and Labradorians cherish the right to still do this. It is a well known fact that waterways in close proximity to oil and gas exploration often become a utility where fresh water can be sourced, or as a natural drainage channel for runoff from the site.

From A Healthy Active Living Environment

******* Transition ********

To An Oil & Gas Industrial Park

A Collage:

*Shoal Point Oil & Gas >>>>>>>>> Leftovers*

*Shoal Point Energy Drilling Operation*

This is Shoal Point, complete with cabins that are used by fishers as their residence during the fishing season. The drill pad site is within 50 metres the cabins and is approximately one metre above the high water mark and within 75 metres of the ocean. When storm force winter winds come howling down the bay from the NE, Shoal Point is flooded and this has resulted in serious coastal erosion. It should be noted that the Marine Research Station in Norris Point has reported the sea levels along the west coast are rising faster than forecast. It is only a matter of time before Shoal Point will be returned to the sea. Questions:

1. Is it responsible resource management to allow oil and gas exploration on a point that is eroding?

2. Who is responsible for cleaning up the mess on Shoal Point?

3. Who will do the proper completion of the wells with the rusty well casings that are exposed at low tide?

Note: When the Port au Port/Bay St. George Fracking Awareness Group contacted the Department of Natural Resources in 2014 and asked the question: “Who is responsible for cleaning up the leftovers of exploration activity on Shoal Point?” The inquiry resulted in a partial cleanup. But the site is still a mess. In my opinion, the Oil and Gas industry and the NL Department of Natural Resources that issues the permits to oil companies have not been good stewards of our environment. A brief tour of Shoal Point will provide testimony to this assessment. Shoal Point has been used in an environmentally responsible way for hundreds of years by Aboriginal cultures and local fishers. The same cannot be said for those who have come to explore for oil and gas.

Cabin Owners at Shoal Point Complain About Leaking Oil Wells

http://www.thewesternstar.com/News/Local/2013-09-16/article-3390922/Leaky-pipes%3F/1

Published on September 15, 2013

SHOAL POINT — An Ontario couple who own a cabin they use seasonally at Shoal Point on the Port au Port Peninsula has strong concerns about what they believe to be leakage from pipes from abandoned oil wells. Karen Smith of Kingston, Ont., said there are three pipes in particular that are of immediate concern, as they are visible at various times above the surface of the water.

A total of 15 wells were drilled in the Shoal Point area from 1874 to 1965, so the well pipes could possibly be more than a century old. Smith said the three short pipes jutting vertically out of the water within a 20-minute walk on the beach from their cabin were once on land, but with erosion of peat moss they are now in the water. “These pipes are rusted out, only one is capped and they are leaking some type of petroleum, which can easily be smelled. A slick can be seen on the surface in calm water, depending on tide and wind conditions,” she said.

Smith said she and her partner Bill Duffenais, who is originally from nearby Piccadilly, purchased the cabin located about five kilometres from the north end of Shoal Point seven years ago and have been coming to it regularly every summer. She and Duffenais love the area and their cabin, but she noted Shoal Point is a fragile and narrow peninsula with substantial erosion of the waterfront peat moss land occurring every year.

The couple reported their concerns to the provincial Department of Environment and Conservation, which referred the matter to Environment Canada. Environment Canada confirmed it has been notified and is aware of the report of abandoned pipes at Shoal Point and will be conducting an inspection at the site to verify compliance with federal environmental legislation, namely the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999 and the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act. Information gathered will be assessed to determine the appropriate steps. In addition, Smith said she also has concerns about environmental consequences from more recent drilling activity at Shoal Point, where she said the last company has left aof mess of propane tanks, pits with trash, well-head parts, small vented buildings that are welded shut and pipes.

“Two of Three Leaky Abandoned Oil Wells at Shoal Point

… Who is Responsible to Look After Them?”

Private Citizens are left with the responsibility of doing inspections of oil and gas exploration sites. Why? Because we can no longer depend on Government agencies to enforce cleanup of the abandoned well sites. Shoal Point is an excellent example of this. These wells have been abandoned by industry and Government. Private citizens and groups such as the Port au Port/Bay St. George Fracking Awareness Group and the Port au Port Fisheries Committee are the ones who have come together to provide oversight and demand action from the Government to clean up the toxic leftovers. “Good Regulations, Mitigation of Risks, Robust Industry Standards” is the jargon of Government and Industry.” And you wonder why private citizens are skeptical when these hollow words are spoken!

*The Oil & Gas Industry Think Big “Port au Port Bay Provides a Natural Drilling Platform” *

This map illustrates the scope of development conceived by a junior oil company, Shoal Point Energy. This map is an artist’s rendition (Reed Weir) of a slide that Shoal Point Energy produced to illustrate how Port au Port Bay could be transformed into a “Natural Drilling Platform”. While the design and concept might be attractive to investors, it is not quite so pleasing to the residents who live on the shores of Port au Port Bay. If a significant discovery of extractable oil was found, Shoal Point Energy claims it would be able to perform a hydraulic fracturing operation to extract the oil through a series of onshore-to-offshore, multi-pad drilling pads. The oil would then be shipped to Port Harmon in Stepehenville via pipeline. If the Shoal Point Energy concept came to fruition, it would transform the entire region into an industrial landscape. It would totally disrupt the lives of people who live in the region. Does this map depict an industry with a minimal environmental footprint?

*Mother Nature has Always Been a Mystery*

Wallace Stegner, The Sound of Mountain Water “Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed . . . We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in. ”

************************** Final Statement

Dr. Gosine and Panel members: Thank you for taking the time to review our submission and please consider our reasonable request:

“Will you please support us in our quest to Keep NL Frack Free?”

Respectively yours in preservation of our natural environment, Graham Oliver (On Behalf of Members and Friends of Whaleback Nordic for a Clean and Healthy Environment) Note: Below is a roster of our group. If contact info is required, I can furnish email addresses to verify authenticity.

“Members & Friends of Whaleback Nordic For a Clean and Healthy Environment”

Check out our website: http://www.whalebacknordic.ca/

1 Graham Oliver Debbie Noonan David Martingale

2 Marjorie Robertson Sister Ellen Sullivan Melissa Martingale

3 Kathy Marche Sister Rona O’Gorman Paula Gale

4 Aldonna O’Keefe Sister Bozec Christopher Picco

5 John Hanratty MIchael Benoit Wayne Hounsell

6 Diane Hanratty Jill Benoit

7 Peter Sutherland Marigold Benoit

8 Madelyn St. Croix James Benoit

9 Sebastian St. Croix Earl Hunt

10 Claire St Croix Freda Hunt

11 John St. Croix Anne Hickey

12 Rita Jane St. Croix Catherine Hickey

13 Betty Rumbolt Diane Gabriel

14 Dan Rumbolt Don Gale

15 Greg Noonan Doreen Gale