Please direct all media inquiries to Allison Murray, Communications Associate, at allison [at] murraycommunications.org | 604-442-1846.

BACKGROUNDER: Seismic Testing

About Seismic TestingSeismic testing uses intense noise levels of approximately 230 decibels to locate deposits of oil and gas beneath the sea floor. Whales have been shown to avoid seismic noise at received levels of around 130 dB in water.During seismic testing, air guns are fired at 11-second intervals, 24 hours per day, creating a din that can cause physiological…

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Canadian Government Deaf to Seismic Science

Media Release: April 18, 2005 VICTORIA, BC – The federal government’s draft regulations for seismic testing fall short of addressing negative impacts on the marine environment, according to Oil Free Coast, a national coalition of scientists, environmental groups and fisheries organizations. Fisheries and Oceans Canada released its draft Statement of Canadian Practice on the Mitigation of Seismic Noise February 19.Seismic…

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Federal government decision threatens Canada’s marine life

Media Release: November 17, 2005 VANCOUVER, BC – Environmental groups from coast to coast condemned the federal government today for eliminating regulations it had recently put in place to protect Canada’s marine life. Federal Environment Minister Stéphane Dion has announced that the first exploratory drilling in an offshore area will no longer require a comprehensive study under the Canadian Environmental…

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Backgrounder: Three in four British Columbians support ban on crude oil tanker traffic

Mustel Provincial Omnibus poll501 respondentsSurvey Conducted: January 10-16, 2006Methodology: Random sample of 501 BC adults, 18 years of age and overMargin of Error: +/- 4.4% at the 95% confidence level Since 1972 the Canadian federal government has banned oil tankers from transporting crude oil through BC’s inside passage to protect the coast from oil spills. Now Ottawa is considering allowing…

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Three in four British Columbians support a ban on crude oil tanker traffic in BC’s inside coastal waters

Media Release: January 19, 2006 Political Parties asked to clarify for voters their positions on offshore oil and gas issues Vancouver-According to a new Mustel Group poll of 501 British Columbians, commissioned by the Dogwood Initiative and other not-for-profit groups, three out of four (75%) of British Columbians are opposed to oil tankers transporting crude oil through BC’s inside coastal…

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Methanex, Encana Violate 34-year old Oil Tanker Moratorium

Condensate tanker docked in Kitimat this weekend after passing through BC’s inside passageMedia Release: June 26, 2006 Vancouver- Oil tankers are being allowed to secretly enter BC’s fragile inside waters despite widespread public opposition and a 34-year old federal moratorium on offshore oil and gas activities, which includes oil tanker traffic. Natural Resources Canada most recently confirmed the moratorium in…

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Seismic blasting threatens B.C. marine life

Media Release: December 14, 2006 SOINTULA, B.C. — The public should be making a big noise over proposed seismic blasting that may injure or even kill marine life on the B.C. coast. Environmental groups are urging Canadians to tell Ottawa they oppose the plan, which would see 36 high-pressure air guns fired into coastal waters every 20-60 seconds, 24 hours…

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Strait of Georgia marine conservation action plan earns applause

October 3, 2002 For immediate release Victoria, BC — TheSouthern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA), announced today in Ottawa, will add significant protectionfor the marine environment of British Columbia’s south coast, according to a leading BC marine conservation group. The Georgia Strait Alliance applauds Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Heritage Minister Sheila Copps for setting in motion…

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ESA Lawsuit Filed To Protect Puget Sound Orca Whales

Conservationists Fight Determination that Southern Residents Are “Not Significant” December 18, 2002 News release Today a coalition of environmental groups filed suit against the National Marine Fisheries Service to fight the Bush administration’s determination that Puget Sound’s Southern Resident killer whales are not ‘significant,’ precluding protection for the whales under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit was filed in…

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Imperiled killer whales get their day in U.S. court

Canadian groups make plea to protect transboundary whale population MEDIA RELEASE November 17, 2003 SEATTLE – Canadian conservation groups are joining their American allies in U.S. federal district court today in an attempt to protect the endangered ‘Southern Resident’ population of killer whales that share the international waters between British Columbia and Washington State. A coalition of American conservation groups…

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