West Lake Ainslie citizens fight oil exploration

Opponents of oil and gas exploration in West Lake Ainslie are gearing up for another fight to blocka Toronto-based firm fromtesting in Cape Breton's Inverness County.

They're worried that Toronto-based Petroworth Resources Inc. mighteventually use the hydraulic fracking process, also known as hydro-fracking, in its test well.

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

Opponents say the fracking process injects chemicals into the ground that can damage the environment and people's health.

Petroworth Resources must hold this open house to fulfill Department of Energy policy.

The format typically sees company and provincial government representatives spread out around the room at separate tables or booths.

The company officials and civil servants willtake questions from people who approach them on an individual basis.

Anne Levesque, a member of the Inverness County Chapter of the Council of Canadians, said that process isn't good enough.

Levesque said members want a public forum where Petroworth and Nova Scotia government civil servants will have to take questions in front of an audience.

"I could see how they would not want this, maybe they would think it's too confrontational, but this is a democracy," Levesque said.

"We want to be involved in this decision. We don't want to just be a check mark on a list."

A Department of Energy official said the policy simply requires a public meeting where people can ask questions.

The official said whether an open house or public forum is used is up to the proponent.

No one from Petroworth Resources was available for comment.

The open house will take place from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the West Lake Ainslie Hall on Wednesday.

New Brunswick is also facing a controversy over whether fracking should be allowed.

A Mount Allison University professor said in September, during the New Brunswick provincial election, the provincial governmentneeded new rules governing hydro-fracking.