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FracturesformasfrackingmakeswayintoNWT9APRIL2APRIL9APRIL16APRIL30APRIL23GiantMinecleanuppredictedtocost1billionDocumentsobtainedthroughaccesstoinforma-tionshowtheremediationeffortsfortheGiantMineinYellowknifecouldtotal1billiondoubletheinitiales-timateof449million.AlbertagovernmenttellsSuncortoaddresswasteTheAlbertagovernmentordersSuncortotakecor-rectiveactionstoaddresswastewatertoxicityatitsoilsandsfacilitynorthofFortMcMurraytwoyearsafteritreportedafailurewithitstreatedwastewateroutlet.CanadianForcesbeginArcticsovereigntyopCanadianForcesperson-nelincludingtheCanadianRangersteamupintheHighArcticforatrainingexer-cisetocollectinformationonCanadasNorthernbor-derandpreparetheteamtooperateintheharshclimate.ChiefofPehdzehKiFirstNationgivesresignationTimLennieresignsaschiefofthePehdzehKiFirstNa-tioncitingheathconcernsnearlyayearafterapetitionwascirculatedaskingforhisresignation.Heisre-electedinNovember.YellowknifessolidwastefacilityonbrinkofchangeOfcialsinYellowknifeproposenewplansforwastemanagementandsalvagingwiththecurrentsolidwastefacilityknownforefcientdiversionratesandsalvagingsectionslatedtobesealedoverthenexttwoyears.TlicholanduseplansaysyestodevelopmentTheTlichogovernment-nalizesitslanduseplanforthe39000square-kmclaimareaendingthemoratoriumonlanddevelopmentthatdatesbackto2005.YoucanpickupyourticketsfromanyminorhockeyplayeroratanyoftheseFortSmithbusinessesFortSmithMinorHockeyNeedsYouWINBIGBYPARTICIPATINGINOURBI-MONTHLY5050DRAW.AllfundsgotosupportFortSmithminorhockeyplayerdevelopmentandyouthathletics.TICKETSAREONLY2.TouchofHeavenNWALLousSmallEnginesGiGisBakeryRustyRavenTDCPhoenixAutoNorthernJournalPelicanRapidsInnDrawdatesareJanuary12and26February9and23March29and23.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGThepoliticallandscapewasthefirsttofracturelastyearasdebatesoverfuturefrackingintheter-ritorysplitcleardivisionsbetweenthoseforandagainstthecontroversialpetroleumextractionpro-cessmakingitswayintotheSahturegion.Tensionswerealreadymountingas2013kickedofffollowingMGMEner-gysdecisiontocancelitswinterdrillingplanswhenitsproposaltocarryoutthersthydraulicfracturingintheNWTwasreferredtoenvironmentalassessmentinthefall.Businesslobbyistscry-ingfoulabouttheburden-someregulatorysystemsetthesceneforthenextexploratoryfrackingap-plicationmadebyCon-ocoPhillipswhichaftersomedelaysanddelibera-tionedgeditswaythroughtheapprovalsprocesslastsummerwithoutrequir-ingafullenvironmentalassessment.BackedbybusinessownersinNormanWellsConocoPhillipsproposaltodrilltwoexploratorywellswasgiventhegreenlightbytheSahtuLandandWaterBoardSLWBinJune-anapprovalthecompanycreditedtoitscommunityconsultationprocess.ThatapprovaldidnotstaycriticismhoweverasitemergedlaterthatsummerthatthewaterlicenseissuedbytheboardallowedCono-coPhillipstherighttowith-holdchemicalsconsideredThecompanyplanstobeginitswinterdrillingbytheendofJanuary.WhetherornotindustrysuccessfullycreatesssuresintheunderlyinggeologyhasyettobeseenbutasfaraspoliticsintheNorthgothosecracksarealreadyvisible.2013THEYEARINREVIEWtradesecretswhendis-closingitsfracuidstotheregulator.ThenewlyformedNWTchapteroftheCouncilofCanadiansquicklylaunchedacampaignde-mandingfulldisclosureofallchemicalsusedforfrackingintheNWTput-tinginaformalrequesttoNWTEnvironmentMinis-terMichaelMiltenbergerundertheEnvironmentalRightsActtolookintothematter.MeanwhiletheNationalEnergyBoardNEB-stillchargedwithregulatingoilandgasintheNWT-re-leaseditsownnewlingrequirementsinSeptem-berelicitingpraisesfromfrackingcriticswhore-markedthatthenewrulesputadditionalpressuresoncompaniestoensureproj-ectswouldmeethealthandsafetyrequirements.Whilethenewruleskeptchemicaldisclosurevolun-tarytheNEBsannounce-mentcamewithpledgesfromindustrythatcompa-nieswouldfullyrevealthelistofchemicals.Despiteadditionalandsomewhatonerousrequire-mentsConocoPhillipsreceivedfinalregulatoryapprovalfromtheNEBinNovemberandlikeachainreactionletMiltenbergeroffthehookforaGNWTinvestigation.TheNEBwasnottheonlyagencydeliberat-ingfrackingintheNWTthroughoutthefallasaNortherndelegationcom-posedofMLAsmunicipalgovernmentandAboriginalleadersmadeitswaysouthtoSaskatchewanandNorthDakotatocheckoutthebustlingbillion-dollarBak-kenplay.Whilethetripalludedtosomeofthesocialprob-lemsthathavetaggedalongwiththeenormousindus-trialboomintheregionthepromiseofprosper-itywasenoughforSahtuMLANormanYakeleyatochangehistuneonthefrackingbogeymanstaringdownhisregion.StillsomeMLAsre-turnedtotheNWTwithmorequestionsthanan-swerswithWeledehMLABobBromleycriticalofthebiasednatureofthesouthernfieldtripwhichignoredanearbywellborefailureandpipelinespillintheregion.AndasfrackingprotestsinNewBrunswickstolethenationalspotlightinOcto-berYellowknifershitthestreetsinsolidaritysend-ingaclearmessageofNofrackingwaytotheterrito-rialgovernment.OfthosetheCouncilofCanadianscontinuedtocryloudestforobligatorychemicaldisclosureandafullenvironmentalassess-mentforfuturefrackingapplications.AstheyearcametoacloseConocoPhillipsmovedsteadilyforwardonexploringthe87000-hect-areparceloflandintheCentralMackenzieValleyunderthewatchofahand-fulofotherindustryin-terestsalleyeinguptheirownparcelsandhopingforquickaccess.PhotoBobBromley2013THEYEARINREVIEWNWTresidentsaresplitonthefutureoffrackingintheterritorywhichpromisesamixofeconomicgainsandsignicantsocialandenvironmentalrisksallofwhichcanalreadybeseeninthebustlingBakkenplayinNorthDakotaabove.