British Columbia Supreme Court Hears Challenge to Water Approvals for Fracking

Hearings in a lawsuit targeting agency approvals for water withdrawals for hydraulic fracturing by oil and gas companies in Canada’s British Columbia province began in the province’s highest court March 17 (Western Canada Wilderness Comm. v. Oil and Gas Comm’n).

Ecojustice lawyers, representing Sierra Club BC and the Wilderness Committee, are arguing before the British Columbia Supreme Court that the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission’s practice of repeatedly granting short-term water approvals to oil and gas companies is unlawful.

The groups are taking the commission to court for allegedly allowing oil and gas companies to withdraw vast quantities ...