Quebec environmental agency says shale gas exploration not worth the risk

Quebec's environmental review board says shale gasexploration in the province is not worth the risk.

The agency report concludes there are too many potential negativeconsequences to the environment and to society from extractingnatural gas from shale rock deposits along the St. Lawrence River.

The report cites risks to air and water quality, potentialincreases in noise and light pollution and says the deposits in theprovince are located in densely populated areas along the river.

In 2011, the Quebec government issued a moratorium on exploringfor natural gas in the province until it finished an environmentalassessment, which included the report published today.

The federal government saidthere are up to 300 trillion cubicfeet of natural gas in shale deposits in Quebec and that before themoratorium, 31 exploration wells had been drilled between Montrealand Quebec City.