Fracking Cancelled near Newfoundland UNESCO World Heritage Site
rbarnes
Posted On December 18, 2013
by Erika Thorkelson
There will be no fracking near Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Newfoundland.
Shoal Point Energy has lost its exploration license for an area near the park as well as its $1 million deposit after applying to extend that license until January 2015.
In a release, the Canada-Newfound and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) said the extension was not approved because in the nearly eight years since the license was issued “minimal exploration has been undertaken.”
“We are disappointed by this decision,” Shoal Point chief executive officer Mark Jarvis said in a statement.
“We feel that our proposal recognized and respected the importance of Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. Our proposal balanced a desire to protect this unique and beautiful park with a desire to safely and responsibly develop a much needed economic opportunity on the west coast of Newfoundland.”
Earlier this year Shoal Point drew criticism from the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its plans for fracking near Gros Morne, which was designated a world heritage site in 1987 for its unique geological features and has been a boon for Newfoundland’s tourism industry every since.
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