I read your Feb. 17 article, Tagish Residents Vent Oil and Gas Concerns.
The people of Tagish have every right to be worried. Although Richard Corbet says “he is able to shut down an operation that breaks the rules,” if British Columbia is any example, the oil and gas commission here continues to hand out drilling permits to companies that for 10 years continually break the rules.
This is happening in my area and I have 10 wells surrounding my residence. Although the company has 10 years of documented problems, the oil and gas commission has just issued them a permit to drill well #11 which is 750 metres from my house.
Once it starts, it does not seem to end and the people living in the area have no recourse.
The B.C. regulation is under OGAA - Oil and Gas Activities Act à Section 26 (2). If a person engages in or has engaged in a pattern of conduct that shows that the person is unfit to have a permit, the commissioner can (1) a,b,c,or d - pull a permit, not issue a new permit, etc. The OGC, although it has this regulation in place, refuses to use it.
Some of the other regulation are too ambiguous.
Clara London
Fort St. John, B.C.