energy

On May 29th, 2010 the Haisla and Gitga’at First Nations held the Solidarity of Nations Gathering in Kitamaat Village to reaffirm their opposition of the Coastal First Nations to the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.  West Coast Environmental Law was formally invited to witness and to participate in the event in recognition of our work to support Coastal First Nations in their efforts to stop oil tankers in their wa

On May 18, the BC government announced that a mobile air quality monitoring station has arrived in Peace River Country. Here’s more about the Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Laboratory (MAQML). Surprisingly, the release came from the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and not the Ministry of Environment, which is responsible for protecting air quality.

Another lesson from the Gulf oil spill for Canada – think twice about subsidizing industries that deal in dangerous substances by limiting their liability for catastrophic accidents. Let me explain.

As I posted previously, the biggest take-away message for Canada and BC from the BP oilspill in the Gulf of Mexico is that oil and gas development at sea is so inherently risky that even strong environmental laws regulating the activity cannot remove the risks of a catastrophic oil spill.  In an isolated, pristine ecosystem the best environmental law would be a ban on any drilling or transportation of oil. 

There is nothing but bleak news in the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico currently destroying livelihoods and the environment in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and possibly beyond.  There are reports circulating that that spill could quickly become much worse – and we must hope that these scenarios do not materialize and that the well is quickly capped.  Our thoughts are with ecosystems, as well as with the communities and livelihoods, that are being devastated.&n

Some interesting recent developments in the US on regulating hydraulic fracturing, aka “fracking.”