At least one islander will be in Prince Rupert next week to speak to the scientific panel which is looking at the moratorium on oil and gas exploration off the BC coast.
Margo Hearne of the Delkatla Sanctuary Society is scheduled to give information about the impact of oil and gas activities on biota when the Royal Society of Canada's expert panel holds a one-day session in Rupert Friday Oct. 31.
The panel has already held three days of workshops in Vancouver and will be holding another three days there Oct. 28-30, covering topics such as resource estimates for the Queen Charlotte basin, natural hazards, the ecosystem, and gaps in knowledge.
The federal government asked the Royal Society of Canada earlier this year to review science issues relevant to oil and gas exploration in the Queen Charlotte basin, following a request from the province to lift the current moratorium. The Royal Society's expert panel will also accept written briefs until Nov. 14. It plans to release a report in February.
The federal government plans to hold public hearings in BC communities following the science review.