Re: oil and gas development in the Whitehorse Trough:
I’ve been going over the submitted comments on the oil and gas branch’s website. Although the majority of the comments are opposed to exploration at this time, there are some “yea-sayers” as well.
The common theme in their comments is that the Yukon needs this additional, cleaner-than-diesel source of hydrocarbons.
However, it needs to be pointed out to Yukoners that any oil or gas developed in the Yukon will not necessarily stay in the Yukon. The developer is under no obligation to supply the Yukon with any of the product.
So although it might be nice to think that in the future we will have a potential source of “clean” burning fuel to help decrease our dependency on diesel, the developer will sell it to whatever market it chooses. There is no guarantee or commitment that the natural gas produced in the Yukon will contribute to our energy needs.
Bonnie Burns
Whitehorse