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NorthSlaveMtissettlecariboucourtcasewithGNWTMembersoftheNorthSlaveMtisAlliancearenowamongtheAboriginalgovernmentsal-lowedtoharvestbarrengroundcaribouintheNorthSlave.Seepage2.FortSmithsocialworkerhandednationalawardFortSmithsocialworkerMaryBishopreceivedadis-tinguishedserviceawardtocapoffNationalSocialWorkMonth.Seepage13.MARCHFORCINDYNorthernersmarchinhonourofslainindigenouswoman.Seepage12.SouthSlaveArcticWinterGamescrewrecruitingmembersRidinghighonavictoriousbidtheSouthSlaveisnowrecruit-ingvolunteerstogetstartedinpreparationforthe2018Arc-ticWinterGames.Seepage9.ChairofEkatiover-sightboardtostayonuntilDecemberChairBillRosshasbeenaskedtostayonthemonitoringboardfortheEkatidiamondmineuntilDecemberafterbeingremovedlastmonth.Seepage7.VISITWWW.NORJ.CAAnationalawardwinningindependentnewspaperservingnorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince19771.00April72015Vol.38No.47NWTgovernmentreleasesproposedfrackingregulationsforterritoryDisclosureoffrackinguidschemicalsremainsvoluntaryByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheterritorialgovernmentre-leaseditsownsetofproposedrulesforcompanieswantingtohydrauli-callyfractureorfrackforshaleoilorgasintheNorthwestTerritorieslastWednesdayexactlyoneyearafterassumingauthorityfornatu-ralresourcedevelopmentthroughdevolution.Theregulationsarearstmoveto-wardcreatingamadeintheNorthregulatoryregimereectingthepri-oritiesofNorthernersandnationalbestpracticesaccordingtoofcials.ThisistherstsignicantstepthatthegovernmentoftheNWThastakentoputadistinctlyNorth-ernstampontheregulatorysystemthatwenowgovernIndustryTour-ismandInvestmentMinisterDavidRamsaywhoalsoservesasheadoftheNWToilandgasregulatortoldmediaduringapressconfer-enceonApr.1.Theproposedlingregulationsthatwereintroducingtodayareacontinuationofthecommitmenttobalanceourworktoprotectthelandwaterandwildlifeinourterri-torywithourinvestmentinNorth-erndevelopmentandprosperityRamsaysaid.Ibelievetheywilloffergreaterclarityandcertaintytodecision-makersinindustrycom-munitiesandgovernmentsalike.Thenewrulespreservetheexist-inglingrequirementsforfrack-ingintheNorthdevelopedbytheNationalEnergyBoardNEBin2013givingthemthefullforceofregulationbutincludeadditionalenhancementsbasedonfouridenti-edNorthernpriorityareas.ThosepriorityareaswhichtheGNWTfoundtobeinadequatelycoveredbytheinheritedNEBrulesincludetheneedformorebaselinesurfaceandgroundwaterinformationpublicdisclosureofchemicaladditivesandfracturefluidsairqualitymonitoringandenhancedpre-andpost-fracturereporting.Theregulationswhichavoiddupli-catingworkbeingdonebyNorthernreviewboardsandexistinglegisla-tionrequireapplicantstosubmitariskassessmentenvironmentalpro-tectionplanspillcontingencyplanall-seasonwellpadplanifapplica-bleandaninter-welldistanceplantotheregulatorforauthorization.Proponentsarealsoaskedtoindi-catewhetherornottheyconsenttocertaininformation-likefracuidsandchemicals-tobedisclosedtothepublic.AswiththeNEBrulestheissueofdisclosureundertheNWTPetroleumResourcesActre-mainsvoluntaryduetocompaniesproprietaryrights.WherethenewregulationsdifferfromtheNEBFilingRequirementsisthattheNWTregulatordirectlyasksanoperatortopubliclydisclosetheinformation.TheNEBguidelinesaskediftheyarewillingtodosoex-plainedMenzieMcEacherndirectorofpetroleumresourceswithITI.Thismayseemtrivialbutitisadifferentapproach.Alsoifanoperatordoesnotpubliclydisclosethisinformationthentheymuststatepubliclywhytheywillnot.TheNEBguidelinesdidnothavethislastprovision.Whenitcomestoseekingapprovalfordrillingwellscompanieshavealistofrequiredcontenttoprovidetheregulator.Thoseincludeanopera-tionsplanfrackingprogramdesignandowtestingprogramdesignanoutlineofgeophysicalhazardsade-scriptionoftargetedoilandgasfor-mationsaseismiceventmonitoringplanadrillingprogramplaninfor-mationonwellcasingscontrolsys-temsreliefwellsandwellcomple-tionaswellasequipment.RamsaysaidtheNWTremainsunapologeticallyopenforbusi-nesstoenvironmentallyandsociallyresponsiblecompaniesandwillbetakingadvantageofthelullinoilandgasactivitytogetthingsright.Webelievethatwecanstrikethebalancehesaid.SeeDisclosureonpage3.PhotoDaliCarmichaelJoshZaidanleftSebastianPicklesandXanderMcMahonclownaroundandshredsomegnarlyairguitarwhileperforminginthersteverFortSmitheditionofFlyinBobscommunitycircuscamp.TheshowculminatedfourdaysoftrainingatthetownsrecreationcentreoverMarchbreakwhereyouthnotonlylearnedtricksofthetradebutalsoteamworkanddiscipline.Formoreturntopages1011.