Front Page Spring contaminated after fracking in Mountain View County, Alberta landowner wants answers

Spring contaminated after fracking in Mountain View County, Alberta landowner wants answers by Dan Singleton, February 5, 2013, Front Page Mountain View Gazette
Huhn said prior to the fracking operation he had been in contact with the company and requested water testing be conducted before and after the fracking operation. Company officials told him that such testing was not necessary and that the fracturing operation posed no risk to his water spring, he said. “Numerous times I asked for that testing,” he said. “I told them I believed there was a risk to my spring and I want it tested. I said I wanted it tested directly before and directly after because if there is an impact I want to see it right away.

“They said their geologist said there was no risk from the fracking and that they didn’t see a reason to test. They said there was no risk.” Imperial Oil spokesperson Christine Graves said Friday: “We just recently received a notification from the individual regarding his (Huhn’s) concerns. We are currently reviewing the concerns. It’s probably going to be a couple more business days before we have a chance to really get into this and develop our position on it.” …

Huhn has filed a 32-page complaint letter with the ERCB over the lack of testing prior to and following the fracking. “Nothing has happened with the ERCB,” he said. [Emphasis added]

December 2007: Development of a memorandum of understanding between Alberta Environment (AENV) and the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB, now ERCB) to enhance collaboration for the protection and management of groundwater

Alberta’s Best in the World ERCB, 2012: “No Duty of Care to Landowners and Groundwater”

Rule 1 of APEGA’s Code of Ethics:

Professional engineers, geologists and geophysicists shall, in their areas of practice, hold paramount the health, safety and welfare of the public, and have regard for the environment.

Why is EnCana not willing to test our water beyond the minimum standards? by Bill Barnett, in Red Deer AdvocateDrumheller Valley Times and Strathmore Standard, August 7, 2007
….there was a reason they did not want to have these samples included in the first place. Was it because they could pin point responsibility in the future?

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