A pair of University of Alberta students have embarked on a documentary film series – AlbertaVoices – in an effort to tell the stories of Albertans, some north of Cochrane, who say they have experienced adverse effects from hydraulic fracturing.
“Our involvement in the discussion of oil and gas and hydraulic fracturing has made us aware of a significant group of Albertans whose experiences with oil and gas activity have not been properly considered,” said Hans Asfeldt, who, along with Alison Bortolon, filmed the documentaries.
One of the films, which features Lochend-area residents Howard and Nielle Hawkwood, was released Sept. 24. In the documentary, the Hawkwoods predict they may be forced to leave their residence due to the impacts of new high-pressure, multistage horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
“One of the fundamental problems leading to the unsafe development of oil and gas in Alberta is the erosion of transparency and accountability,” claims Asfeldt. “Fracking has the capacity to contaminate not only our drinking water, but also the land that sustains us and the communities within which we thrive.”
Asfeldt and Bortolon are both in the global and development studies program, with Bortolon recently earning her degree in the discipline.
Asfeldt said a large portion of his studies focuses on oil and gas issues, and last fall, he had researched the hydrological impacts of fracking in the Battle River Watershed.
Asfeldt said there is often a claim that there are no documented cases of fracking having any impact on well water, but he believes this claim is untrue.
“AlbertaVoices is a response to this claim,” he said, “and serves as a publicly accessible database that documents the impacts of oil and gas activity on land and community.”
Asfeldt said the oil and gas industry is not one that should be opposed or supported, but rather subjected to the same principles and values as other industries, and that of Albertans.
“This is our responsibility,” said Bortolon. “The environment is shared, and as we are only here temporarily, it is our job to care for it and ensure it for future generations.”
Visit albertavoices.ca for more.
