Award Winning Scientist, Jessica Ernst To Give Talk On "Fracking" March 6th in BELFAST

national | environment | event notice Monday February 25, 2013 17:52 by Meg

Award winning scientist, Jessica Ernst, a 55 year old Canadian with 30 years oil and gas industry experience, is suing the Alberta government, Alberta energy regulator, the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), and EnCana for negligence and unlawful activities related to hydraulic fracturing. The technology has become the subject of serious government investigations throughout North America due to surface and groundwater contamination.

Jessica is giving a series of talks on fracking around Ireland and England from March 2nd to March 11th, Taking in Leitrim, Clare, Belfast, Maynooth, Dublin, Lancs, London

PRESS RELEASE
18th February, 2013.

Jessica Ernst to present "Fracking Community Actions and Omissions
Speak Louder than Words", March 2nd to March 11th

Award winning scientist, Jessica Ernst, a 55 year old Canadian with 30 years oil and gas industry experience, is suing the Alberta government, Alberta energy regulator, the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), and EnCana for negligence and unlawful activities related to hydraulic fracturing. The technology has become the subject of serious government investigations throughout North America due to surface and groundwater contamination.
Ms. Ernst’s statement of claim alleges that EnCana broke multiple provincial laws and regulations and contaminated a shallow aquifer that supplied drinking water to the Rosebud community with natural gas and toxic industry-related chemicals. The claim methodically reports how Alberta’s two key groundwater regulators, Alberta Environment and the ERCB, failed to follow the investigation and enforcement processes that they had established and publicized.

In Report 2011-A, the ERCB disclosed that the potential for hydraulic fracturing to contaminate useable water aquifers with fracturing fluid chemicals and natural gas is a real risk and public issue, especially in shallow zones. In a 2012 report, the ERCB and Alberta Environment admitted that hydraulic fracturing contaminated fresh groundwater in September 2011, while telling the public for over a year that fracturing in Alberta had never contaminated groundwater. The regulators in Alberta publicly claim to be "World Class" with "Best in the World" regulations, yet in a recent court hearing and legal brief filed for the Ernst case, the ERCB argued it owes "no duty of care" to Albertans or groundwater, and continues to permit EnCana to hydraulically fracture more gas wells in the fresh water zone near the Ernst water well, and others dangerously contaminated in her community.

A series of presentations on the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing, or "Fracking" will take place in Leitrim, Ennis, (Co.Clare), Belfast, Lytham St. Annes, Lancs., Balcombe, Sussex, and three venues in Dublin from March 2nd, to March 11th. This is a rare opportunity to hear from someone who has lived on both sides of this issue describe their experiences on the fracking frontline. She will discuss her own case, the impact of this industry upon her own community and why she believes no healthy society should ever permit hydraulic fracturing.

Jessica Ernst, M.Sc., is travelling from Rosebud , Alberta, to Ireland, Northern Ireland, and to two events in England, at the invitation of concerned residents living in areas which are the subject of Options Licenses in the ROI, and licensed areas in England

In 2010, she was awarded the "Woman of Courage" award by UNANIMA International, a UN Economic and Social Council accredited NGO, for her efforts to hold companies accountable for environmental harm done by "fracking".

The presentation schedule is as follows:

· Saturday 2nd March, 7pm,
presentation of "Fracking Community" in Leitrim Village Community Centre, Leitrim Village, near Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim.

· Monday 4th March, 8pm
presentation of "Fracking Community" in the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis, Co. Clare.

· Wednesday 6th March, 7pm
presentation of "Fracking Community" in Peter Froggatt Center, Queens University, Belfast.

· Thursday 7th March
United Reformed Church, St George's Rd. St. Anne's, Lancs., FY8 2AE

· Friday 8th March, 8pm to 10pm
Balcombe Church of England Primary School, London Road, Balcombe, RH17 6HS

· Sunday 10th March,
"Our Natural Resources - Not for Sale".
Jessica Ernst will speak at this event, -
11.00 -- 4.00 in the Gresham Hotel on O'Connell St,
hosted by Richard Boyd Barrett TD & Chair of Save our Seafront
with speakers from Norway, An Taisce, SIPTU, The
Woodlands League and more

· Monday 11th March, 1pm
NUI Maynooth, Hall E, Arts Block, NUIM. Location map HERE

· Monday 11th March, from 7-9pm, Smock Alley Theatre, Templebar Dublin