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8 Tuesday April 28 2015 INDUSTRY OIL GAS Smiths Landing First Nation P.O. Box 1470 Fort Smith NT X0E0P0 Ph 867 872-4950 Fax 867 872-5154 Wishing you many more successes in the future. Congratulations Thebacha Graduates Smiths Landing First Nation Thebacha Business Development Services 68 Portage Ave. Fort Smith . 867-872-2795 . www.thebacha .ca Celebrating Aurora College Graduation To learn about small business loans entrepreneurial support and training and the business service centre contact TBDS. Cant find a job Create your own Come see us about our youth 18-34 Small Business Program. Best Wishes to the Aurora College Graduating Class of 2015 By MEAGAN WOHLBERG Creating new regulations for hydraulic frac- turing or fracking in the Northwest Territo- ries is putting the cart before the horse when it comes to the Dehcho region First Nations leaders said last week in Fort Simpson. Representatives of the Dehcho First Na- tions DFN voiced a resounding no to the GNWT panel that visited Fort Simpson last Tuesday to engage the public on new rules for oil and gas companies wanting to conduct horizontal fracking in the territory. DFN will not allow or consent to hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas reserves in Dehcho traditional territory reads the First Na- tions statement to the panel. We consider the proposed GNWT regulations illegitimate and improper. We expect you to take no for an answer. DFN Grand Chief Herb Norwegian couldnt be present at the meeting due to ongoing land claim negotiations with the GNWT in Yellowknife but sent resource management coordinator Dahti Tsetso with the statement outlining DFNs position. According to the chief the new rules are a violation of the existing Interim Measures Agreement IMA for the region that is still negotiating its land claim. In the IMA the Crown must conrm explicit support or non- support from the First Nations for oil and gas issuances on Dehcho territory. Jurisdiction over oil and gas developments of any kind - including fracking - is still un- resolved between DFN and the Crown under the Dehcho Process the statement reads. The GNWTs move to bring forward new terms and conditions for oil and gas explora- tion by introducing new fracking regulations without the support of affected DFNs is not permitted under the terms of the IMA. The statement also outlines concerns DFN has with the possible environmental impacts from fracking including air pollution sur- face and groundwater contamination and impacts on ecosystems. Industry Tourism and Investment Minis- ter Dave Ramsay said there have been no oil and gas issuances in the Dehcho and there- fore the IMA has been respected. Thegovernmenthasnotinitiatedanoiland gas exploration issuance cycle in the Dehcho at this time he said in a written response to The Journal. Should one occur in the future it will be conducted according to established legislation regulating development in the Mackenzie Valley and commitments set out in agreements with Aboriginal governments. Ramsay added that the regulations are consistent with the GNWTs commitment to strengthen existing rules handed over to the territory through devolution. This is not the rst time the Dehcho has said no to fracking. In 2013 the Liidlii Kue First Nation in Fort Simpson passed a reso- lution calling for a moratorium on fracking until further research could be conducted on impacts to the land water and human health and until there were proper regulatory re- quirements and safeguards in place for the unconventional drilling process to proceed. The GNWT panel has been touring com- munities throughout the territory since Apr. 9 stopping in Inuvik Fort Good Hope Tu- lita and Norman Wells before heading to Fort Simpson and Nahanni Butte. Further public meetings will be held in Fort Liard Hay River Fort Smith and Yellowknife with dates to be determined. The draft regulations will be available for comment for 90 days or until the end of June. Theycanbefoundonlineatwww.iti.gov.nt.ca. Dehcho First Nations reject new NWT fracking rules PhotoJimAntoineTwitter Residents of Fort Simpson take part in a public meeting on the NWTs newly proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing hosted by a panel from Industry Tourism and Investment.