No deal is a good deal to start shale gas

Date: April 23, 2023
Author: NBASGA
Categories: climate change, Fracking & Health, Fracking and Economics

Jim Emberger | Commentary | TJ.news | 24 April 2023
(Short form ‘Letter to the Editor’ follows)

Premier Higgs likes to project the image of an experienced business leader, but his current effort to resurrect shale gas reveals that he more closely embodies his other reputation as a, “Data, my ass,” decision maker.

There is unequivocal data in the latest report from the International Panel on Climate Change, which shows that we cannot develop any new fossil fuel source if we hope to escape the dire consequences of a warming climate. This data was researched by virtually the entire global community of climate scientists and institutions.

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Solidarity Statement Calling for Government to Respect the Right to Free, Prior, Informed Consent for Fracking in New Brunswick

Date: April 12, 2023
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Most Asked Questions

Premier Higgs is pressuring Wolastoqey and Mi’kmaw leaders in NB to allow fracking by threatening to withhold funding, and promising future, speculative funding derived from fracking in the province, and NBASGA is seeking signatories to a Solidarity Statement calling for the government of New Brunswick to cease attempts to coerce consent to fracking in traditional and unceded territories of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq people in the province.

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Time for realistic N.B. plans for economic, environmental benefits

Date: March 17, 2023
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Clean Energy, climate change, LNG, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Le français suit]

Traditional territory of the Wabanaki Peoples/Fredericton — The Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CCNB) and the New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance issued the following statement with respect to Repsol SA’s announcement that there is no business case for building an export liquefied natural gas plant at the Saint John LNG location.

Premier Blaine Higgs pushed a private-sector company, Repsol, to convert its Saint John LNG (liquefied natural gas) import terminal into an export terminal for energy security, economic development and energy transition. The company now says, after completing a feasibility study, that there is no business case.

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Remembering Warrior Chief John Levi

Date: March 1, 2023
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Real Stories

John Levi
Elsipogtog, NB
1968-2023

Only a few weeks ago, we were decrying the fact that even now, in the year of its 10th anniversary, the RCMP raid at Elsipogtog remained an open wound for the community, and for all allies of the shale gas movement who fought for justice and resolution.

Now, we regret to share the passing of one of the most recognizable figures of that time, Warrior Chief John Levi of Elsipogtog First Nation.

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Court of Appeal ruling marks major victory for access to environmental justice in Nova Scotia

Date: February 23, 2023
Author: NBASGA
Categories: LNG, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Court grants public interest standing to environmental groups in case related to Goldboro LNG

HALIFAX/ TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF THE MI’KMAQ PEOPLE – Environmental groups are celebrating a decision released yesterday by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal they say will help safeguard access to justice in environmental cases in the province. The ruling overturns a decision by a lower court that denied Ecology Action Centre and the New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance (NBASGA), represented by Ecojustice, public interest standing to challenge the provincial Minister of Environment and Climate Change’s approval of a highway realignment central to the proposed Goldboro LNG (liquified natural gas) project.

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Unconventional gas is bad for health

Date: February 21, 2023
Author: NBASGA
Categories: climate change, Fracking & Health

Letter to the Editor by Jim Emberger, Telegraph-Journal / Feb.21, 2023

While a legislature committee holds hearings on the province’s energy future, Premier Blaine Higgs proposes a return to the past with a shale gas revival. The committee’s agenda doesn’t mention shale gas. Perhaps it has accepted that virtually every global scientific body agrees that to avoid the worst of the climate crisis, new fossil fuel projects must not proceed. Fracked gas and LNG export terminals, like the one being contemplated for Saint John, are huge greenhouse gas producers.

The 2015 moratorium contains conditions that require scientific evidence that threats to health and the environment from shale have been resolved, before lifting the moratorium.

A multitude of public health studies have associated water and air pollution from shale gas with birth defects, cardiac and neurological problems, cancers, asthma and more. Proposed safe distances between gas infrastructure and human habitation exceed current provincial regulations.

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Ethics Do Matter

Date: December 30, 2022
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Sustainable Energy Solutions

Letter to the Editor by Sam Arnold, Moncton Times & Transcript, 28 December 2022

Norbert Cunningham’s December 27 column (The Moncton Times & Transcript) included a poignant two-word sentence: “Ethics matter.” Indeed, they do!

The Daily Gleaner’s top story that day said that 79 of NB Power’s highest paid employees earned over $200,000 and six cleared over $300,000, while some approached $500,000-plus. These are earnings for Toronto, not mostly rural New Brunswick.

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COP27 shows Higgs is out of touch with reality

Date: November 20, 2022
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Clean Energy, climate change

Commentary by Jim Emberger, Telegraph-Journal, Nov. 19, 2022

New reports from COP27 are useful tools to assess whether Premier Higgs’ natural gas policies reflect current reality.

  • The Premier calls for a new shale gas industry.

The International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD), and the UN Environmental Program issued separate reports with a common conclusion: limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires an immediate halt to new fossil fuel development.

The IISD tested 97 possible pathways to stay under 1.5°C.  None succeeded if new fossil fuel development was allowed. The IEA said new development should have ended in 2021.

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Groups Call on Canada, Germany to Keep Climate Commitments on LNG

Date: November 18, 2022
Author: NBASGA
Categories: climate change

Media Release

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt – On Thursday November 17th, 12 PM Eastern Time ,/ 7 PM Eastern European Standard Time organizations and community leaders from Canada and Germany presented a joint open letter to Canada’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, Steven Guilbault at COP27.  The letter outlines concerns that three proposed export LNG projects located on Canada’s East Coast will exceed global carbon pollution budgets and nullify both countries’ climate commitments. Comments made by Canadian leaders, including Canada’s Deputy Minister Freeland, indicate they are willing to “fast-track” LNG in the name of helping allies or “friend shoring” – even though such projects will accelerate the climate crisis and make the world less stable.

“The East Coast of Canada was just hammered by tropical storm Fiona, which caused loss of lives and homes, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. To have Canada and Germany horse-trading over projects that will add fuel to raging climate fires is unacceptable and unjust.” according to Jim Emberger, New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance. “As the world meets at COP27 to shore up climate commitments, we need answers on these projects.“

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LNG export terminal would carry great risks

Date: August 13, 2022
Author: NBASGA
Categories: Clean Energy, climate change, Fracking News, LNG
Saint John LNG Jetty, photo Kâté Braydon, Environmental Defense Canada

Opinion by Jim Emberger | Telegraph Journal, August 13, 2022

Editor’s Note: As part of our In-Depth series, we invited a proponent and an opponent of the LNG export terminal in Saint John to make their case. Below is Jim Emberger’s argument against the project. Read Michelle Robichaud’s piece here.

The economic and climate costs of developing an LNG export facility in Saint John are real and significant. Benefits, if any, will come at great risk.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently stated, “Investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is moral and economic madness.”

He was summing up the warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Energy Agency, and climate scientists everywhere. Developing new fossil fuel projects will hinder any chance of meeting the climate targets necessary to save the world from dire consequences.

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