Say "Yes" to shale gas?

Yes, I've posted about this subject before ....

Many of the the good folks in Blackville, N.B. seem to believe that shale gas will help bring jobs to their area and to help keep their young people from migrating out to the oil patch in Alberta and points beyond.... I recently read a story in the Telegraph Journal which had a short interview with a resident of Blackville and she was completely convinced that shale gas is the magic bullet to solve the areas economic problems....

I would invite any shale gas proponent to read this article by American Economist, Helene Jorgensen, based on the real data collected from heavily shale gas developed areas in the Eastern United States. There is no fear mongering in the article, simply facts:

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/cepr-blog/fracking-nonsense-the-job-myth-of-gas-drilling

Here's the wiki link on hydraulic fracturing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing

There are many interesting facts on what this process is and one thing that becomes very apparent very quickly is it involves the use of massive quantities of water which is instantly transformed into toxic waste.... where does this massive amount of water come from in a drought year like 2012? Where does this toxic waste go? Do people rely on well water in their homes? Is clean air important to them?

I'm convinced that anyone who has taken the time to investigate what shale gas development brings with it will no longer be so enthusiastic to see it in their backyards... I might someday support shale gas development but not until a sustainable and responsible method of extraction is developed... Currently, economics drive shale gas extraction policy - not what is best for the environment...
Our laws and policies have been heavily influenced by lobbyists from big gas and oil who are concerned with only one thing -- their bottom line.

May long weekend at the Den

Dad, Ethan, Brad and our very special friend and moose hunting guide Tom Lindsay headed up to the camp on Friday for a weekend of fishing, boating and canoeing.

Tom checking out the scenery.

Brad playing a few tunes..

Somehow a hatchet just makes things sound better!

Obligatory campfire

After a few refreshments and many laughs we headed to bed as Saturday was to be a full day of boating for Dad, Tom & Ethan and a canoe run for Brad and I.

I've been wanting to do a run down the Cains for a long time as each time i've fished it I've been awestruck by it's meandering beauty... this river truly is a jewel of New Brunswick.

Our plan was to put in at Buttermilk and fish our way down to the Den - I estimated 18km as the river flows for the run.

Our first stop for a stretch and a quick fish:

This video is a bit long, nothing really exciting happens but I was just learning how to operate Brad's GoPro... what a great rig they are! Now that I've figured out how to swicth it to HD I'll be sure to have some cool videos from the 2012 fishing season.

On down the river we go

Mouth of the Cains where it meets the Main Southwest Miramichi river.

The old home pool area

The trip summary - not bad on my estimate. I was really surprised how quickly it went - with good water like we had I wouldn't hesitate to put in much higher.

A final thought on Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracking - let's hope the market remains flooded with natural gas and keeps the price of shale gas low so it doesn't get developed!

It was a great weekend with warm temps, lots of sun and tons of bugs. The company was second to none and we all had a great time with lots of laughs. Fishing was definitely in the in between stages on the Cains and the Main Southwest but I heard good things were starting to happen in the tidal areas and on the Northwest. I even heard of a few brights being hooked. Another week or so and those rumours will be a reality, no doubt! We managed a couple trout, a bunch of fiddleheads and memories and pictures we'll have for a lifetime. I can't wait to get back up there!

Shale gas YES in Blackville .....

WTF???? This sign was here last week and I figured it'd be a smoldering pile of ashes today but no such luck... I just hope the good folks here check into it a bit further before embracing it....