Company plans debate on N.B. mining rules

A mining company is hosting a public meeting at the University of New Brunswick to debate the future of the rules that govern natural gas exploration in the province.

For the past year Southwestern Energy Company and the Environmental Defense Fund have been collaborating on new mining regulations for some U.S. jurisdictions.

Southwestern Energy Company holds mining rights in parts of New Brunswick and this week the company is presenting its ideas for natural gas explorations regulations in the province, where the rules are currently under review.

Tom Alexander, the general manager for the company's New Brunswick operations, said he hopes the debate will help better inform the discussion around the regulatory future of natural gas exploration.

"We just offer this as a tool that the government may want to consider in doing that work," Alexander said.

The presentation will be open to the public and will be hosted by Southwestern Energy Thursday night on the UNB campus.

New regulations

The debate over the future of a controversial mining method, called hydraulic fracturing, has caused many New Brunswick communites to discuss thestrength of the province's mining rules.

Hydro-fracturing is a process where exploration companies inject a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the ground, creating cracks in shale rock formations. That process allows companies to extract natural gas from areas that would otherwise go untapped.

The Progressive Conservatives indicated in November's speech from the throne that new regulations would be adopted to govern the exploration and extraction of minerals and gases.

Apache Canada and Corridor Resources have alreadyagreed to participate in a new phased environmental process that is being overseen by the New Brunswick government.

The new review process requires the companies get approvals at the beginning of a project, before drill sites are selected and at almost every step leading to commercial production. The Tory government has committed to adopting the phasedpractice.

When Southwestern Energy companyhosts the meeting Thursday, Stephanie Merrill, a member of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, said she will be there to participate in the discussion.

Merill said whatever regulations that are in place need to be strong and not left up to the mining companies.

"We would like to see it be government led. We really feel like the provincial government needs to take control on creating the standards that the industry will work towards," Merill said.