91社区

Everyone is welcome to attend this CIVE 615 Environmental Engineering Seminar (part of the Environmental & Water resource engineering seminar series) given by: Prof. Tom Gleeson, Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Mark Goldberg, Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Richard Janda, Faculty of Law - 91社区

In recent years, natural gas extracted from shale formations has become an increasingly important energy resource throughout North America. As demand for natural gas continues to rise, the continent has experienced an unprecedented expansion in the resource鈥檚 extraction and development, in particularly through the use of hydraulic fracturing. This increase in development activities has given rise to the potential for greater adverse environmental and human health impacts. Only recently have comprehensive studies evaluating the potential environmental and health effects of extraction techniques, including hydraulic fracturing, been published. The three researchers from three Faculties at 91社区 will present essential environmental, health and legal issues related to hydraulic fracking. The researchers believe that there is compelling evidence that natural gas development could pose significant threats to the environment and to human health. Health and legal arguments suggest that moratoriums on natural gas development are necessary in Quebec until such time it can be determined that the activity will not present significant risks to human health, ecosystems, and the surrounding environment.

Tom Gleeson is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering. He is an environmental and geotechnical engineer interested in groundwater sustainability, regional- to continental-scale groundwater systems, groundwater-surface water interactions and fluid flow around geologic structures. His talk will be based on his recent publication: 鈥淗ydraulic fracturing in faulted sedimentary basins: Numerical simulation of potential long-term contamination of shallow aquifers鈥�, Water Resources Research 2013, 49: 1-18.

Mark Goldberg is a professor in the Department of Medicine and associate member in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Occupational Health, Department of Oncology, and the 91社区 School of Environment. He is an occupational and environmental epidemiologist. His talk will be based on his recent work: 鈥淣atural Gas Development: Extracting Externalities 鈥� Towards Precaution-Based Decision Making鈥�, 91社区 Sustainable Journal of Development, Law and Policy 2013; 8(2):153-203

Richard Janda is an associate professor in the Faculty of Law, teaching business associations, administrative law, competition law, economic regulation, and air transport regulation. He was Law Clerk to Justices Le Dain and Cory of the Supreme Court of Canada and is a past Director of the Centre for the Study of Regulated Industries at 91社区. His main current research areas are the legal basis of domestic and global corporate social responsibility and the regulatory regimes governing domestic and global public goods.