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LNG is a bridge to environmental disaster

We tried to stop the LNG project from happening, but it looks like we may have lost this battle. When Yukon Energy presented the LNG project on July 8, 2013, we attended their public session.

We tried to stop the LNG project from happening, but it looks like we may have lost this battle.

When Yukon Energy presented the LNG project on July 8, 2013, we attended their public session. Nearly all of the Yukoners in attendance told Yukon Energy that they didn’t want the LNG project.

Yukoners sent more than a hundred comments to the YESAB committee against the LNG project. Fracking for natural gas exacerbates climate instability, poisons huge amounts of water forever, and wreaks havoc on ecosystems, health, social structures and infrastructure. The YESAB said this isn’t the Yukon’s problem and shamefully recommended that the LNG project go ahead.

Lana Lowe, lands director with the Fort Nelson First Nation told the select committee on fracking that: “LNG leads to fracking” and fracking is an “environmental disaster” to her First Nation.

We told the Yukon Utilities Board that the economics of LNG doesn’t make sense at all. For example, how can YEC save millions a year when they only spent $850,000 on diesel last year? But the YUB completely ignored all our concerns. The YUB shamefully recommended the LNG project go ahead - without conditions.

We supported Skeeter Wright’s petition to take the YUB and YEC to court over their failures to consider important financial data but unfortunately the judge ruled that he had no standing - a tough lesson for us. Now we have a legal bill to pay - all for trying to save our children’s future.

We went door-to-door and got a record-breaking 4,000 signatures against fracking and the LNG plant. Many who didn’t sign were government employees who were fearful of repercussions.

We attended a workshop that explained to YEC and Yukon people that with a smarter grid we won’t need the LNG project. We learned that we can continue with backup diesel and implement a smarter grid with energy storage and pursue renewables like wind, solar and hydro.

We tried to call a meeting with the YEC board to share our concerns. But they remained silent and refused to meet with us. YEC will burden Yukon ratepayers with $42 million, setting us back financially yet again (remember the $120M Mayo B fiasco - overpriced, underpowered and flooding Mayo).

We have tried to educate the Yukon government of the dangers of this LNG disaster but they have failed the Yukon public by not listening. YEC has no social licence, no public support for this LNG project.

The science is clear: we have to move to renewable energy now. LNG is a bridge to environmental disaster.

Our children need us to work together to save their future.

If you love this planet and the Yukon, then please help us. We might have lost this battle - but the war isn’t over.

Please write your MLA and Premier Pasloski and tell them that you don’t want LNG in the Yukon. The Yukon has the tools and knowhow to build a renewable energy future. Let’s get down to using them!

Davina Harker, Sandy and Lois Johnston, Don and Marguerite Roberts, Rob and Mary Ann Lewis, Corliss Burke, Gordon Gilgan, Sally Wright, Rick and Margaret Griffiths, Werner Rhein, JP Pinard.