DURHAM BRIDGE, N.B. – Opposition to shale gas exploration has spread across New Brunswick, but residents of one small community are taking the fight into his own hands.
Jesse Saindon, of Upper Durham, is trying to keep gas companies from drilling in the area surrounding his community, using the controversial gas extraction method hydraulic fracturing.
“There is risk to the water, which they seem to say there isn’t,” Saindon says.
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He’s hoping to slow up operations by removing survey stakes which gas companies use to flag an area for exploration.
“We’ve already told them to stop,” he says, “and nothing’s working so we’re going to talk about what we have to do.”
He says several people have taken down ribbons and pulled out stakes where there are plans for seismic testing.
Many in the community have taken part in protests and more than 260 residents of the area have signed a petition demanding the government halt exploration.
But the general manager of SWN Resources – the company testing for shale gas in the area – says operations will continue, regardless of any resistance to the plans.
“That’s unfortunate, but it doesn’t really slow us down and we’re going to shoot the seismic line,” Tom Alexander says.
Two emergency meetings are scheduled in the area for Wednesday night.
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