(Quebec) Environmental groups are calling for data on water contamination near all oil wells drilled over the past 20 years. They particularly deplore the lack of data on groundwater near 19 wells drilled using the hydraulic fracturing method, out of the 31 drilled in the St. Lawrence Valley.
Their demand follows analyzes which conclude that the quality of the groundwater has deteriorated in the Murdochville area, in the Gaspé, even several years after exploratory drilling.
According to this front of environmental organizations, it is inconceivable that oil companies demand compensation – because the government has decided to end all exploitation of hydrocarbons in Quebec – when we do not know the state of contamination of water caused by successive drilling over the years.
Among the organizations that have joined forces for this initiative, there are in particular Greenpeace, the David Suzuki Foundation, Équiterre and Nature Québec.