I and many other Yukoners were in the legislature Tuesday morning listening to Dr. Mark Jaccard testify before the fracking committee. He is the lead author of the BC Hydro Integrated Resource Plan that I think could be a great template for how Yukon needs to move forward when looking at our energy future.
It was a very good presentation and will be transcribed and on the public record. Other than being ill-informed about the Cornell study comparing natural gas and coal, Dr. Jaccard’s testimony reinforced the Yukoners overwhelming opposition to Yukon Energy’s liquefied natural gas plan.
The one quote on the last slide that really screamed out at me: “Be prepared for ‘few-or-no-LNG-plants’ scenario. Thus, avoid major public infrastructure investments. Let industry do it.”
In the Yukon context, the major public infrastructure investment is our Crown corporation, Yukon Energy, investing $42 million in this LNG plan. Let Casino mine take the risk of LNG on. The “few-or-no-LNG-plants” scenario has already been foreshadowed by Shell Oil abandoning its Jumping Pound LNG plant in February.
Yukon Energy is taking all the risks (with our money) and its board needs to heed Dr. Jaccard’s wisdom.
Sally Wright
Kluane Lake