I've been following the developments in the community of Penobsquis with interest. This is an unincorporated part of NB that is experiencing major growth with the expansion of Potash exploitation as well as the fast paced development of natural gas.
This resource rich area is clearly undergoing the changes wrought by the mining and gas development. The truck traffic is enough to make you crazy if the draining of the aquifer, the subsidence, and the olfactory stimulus aren't' enough. And these New Brunswickers living in Penobsquis Centre overtop the underground 'waterfall' have varying opinions of the situation due to the various relationships with the mine (Potash Corp of Saskatchewan) and gas company (Corridor Resources).
But the two are not distinct. The companies work collaboratively on gas exploration and both have gas rights and are working together trying to plug leaks into the mine workings. Gas appears naturally in association with potash. This is the ancient aquatic environment afterall that leaves both salt domes and oil/gas deposits (potash is a salt). My environmental geology text shows this association of potash with the oil and tight gas very clearly.
It's clear to me these developments happen in some ways at the expense of the community. They don't receive any royalties. And without a plan, the community goes by the wayside. I can appreciate that there is a need for the Concerned Citizens of Penobsquis, and a need for concerned citizens of rural New Brunswicker's everywhere our resources are being expoited.
