B.C. to continue 'fracking' for gas,
despite bans elsewhere
British Columbia has no worries about the controversial use of hydraulic fracturing in natural gas production, even though other governments have recently instituted moratoriums on the process, says Energy and Mines Minister Rich Coleman. Quebec has halted the use of so-called "fracking" technology, which involves pumping large volumes of water, sand and chemicals into shale gas deposits to fracture the rock and force the gas into collection pipes. A number of jurisdictions have worried that the method may lead to the contamination of groundwater supplies and there have been periodic complaints from neighbours, including allegations of gas seeping from domestic water taps. But Coleman said B.C. gas extraction companies have been using fracking for many years without problems and have to meet what he termed "the world's most stringent environmental regulations." See the Full Story as posted by the Vancouver Sun.

Log Shortage Halts Work For Many
In British Columbia
Arnold Bercov, president of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada Local 8, is very concerned that shipping raw logs out of British Columbia is coming at a cost to many local mills. Bercov said he was informed by Western Forest Products that their Ladysmith mill is one of several mills on Vancouver Island that will be down for at least a week due to low inventories of logs. Meanwhile, Island Timberlands, next door to the Ladysmith mill, is busy loading raw logs onto ships. Those logs will be processed at a mill overseas, rather than at home in British Columbia. See the Full Story as posted by ForestTalk.com.

Implementation of Federal Environmental
Enforcement Act Begins
Implementation of the federal Environmental Enforcement Act (the "EEA"), first passed in June 2009, has recently begun. The EEA amends the enforcement and penalty regimes of nine federal environmental acts by introducing stiffer fines, new sentencing powers and considerations, and measures aimed at strengthening the government's ability to investigate and prosecute violations. The EEA is also intended, in part, to make the environmental enforcement regimes more consistent across all federal legislation, particularly on the matter of director and officer liability. Specifically, the EEA increases maximum fine amounts and establishes minimum fines for certain offences, establishes the liability of corporate directors and officers, and provides sentencing guidance for courts by establishing principles and purposes of sentencing and by identifying relevant factors, such as prior convictions, that should be taken into account when determining sentence. The EEA also directs fines to the Environmental Damages Fund which funds community organizations in environmental restoration and research projects. See the Full Article as posted by Davis LLP.