100 protest seismic tests in Kent County

About 100 people turned out to protest potential fracking north of Moncton Saturday.

Police took12 protestors into custody Friday, but police kept a low profile along Highway 126 in Kent County Saturday and made no arrests. Protesters have been blocking roads and demonstrating in the area for more than a week.

SWN Resources is probing the ground to determine if there isenough natural gas to start hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Kent County resident Jim Thompson used to do seismic testing in Alberta, but says it should not be done in New Brunswick.

"There's lots of money in Alberta, but when people come home they don't want to see this. The money is good, but the money isn't everything," he said.

He says seismic testing has improved over the years, but it's still a procedure that can have a devastating impact on the environment. "They still put charges of dynamite in the ground and they still blast them."

New Brunswick's Liberal opposition wants a moratorium on shale gas development. Liberal MLA Bill Fraser said the governing Conservatives need to hear protesters concerns.

"I think it's to the point where [Premier] David Alward has shut them out and he's not listening anymore," he said.

Nova Scotians join protest

Doug Rigby drove all the way from Dartmouth, N.S. with several friends to protest. He said they are most worried about water contamination.

"Fracking is going to be damaging the underground water supply for thousands of years and we think that the water is more precious than any oil or gas that would be extracted," he said.

Rigby said he believes people across the Maritimes are realizing the importance of standing up for the environment.

SWN says the seismic tests are harmless.

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as hydro-fracking, is a process where exploration companies inject a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the ground, creating cracks in shale rock formations to extract natural gas from areas that would otherwise go untapped.