Oil and Gas Development Banned In Skeena River’s Sacred Headwaters
David Moryc, Senior Director, River Protection
December 19, 2012 | Wild and Scenic Rivers
Skeena River, BC, Canada | Brian Huntington
In a huge victory for our partners to the north, oil and gas development in the headwaters of the pristine Skeena River in northwestern British Columbia has been permanently banned by the regional government. As a part of the deal struck today, Shell Oil will receive $20 million in credits from the government to offset their investments in exploratory drilling.
The Tahltan Nation and the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition and all that have supported them deserve our thanks for protecting what has been called the Serengeti of the North and the sourcewaters for the most productive wild steelhead fishery in the world. Having fly-fished the Skeena and its tributaries, I can personally attest to the productivity and beauty of the watershed. It’s simply one of the most beautiful places on earth—especially for an angler.
The deal today demonstrates that some sacred places should be off limits to oil and gas development and that we can find solutions working with willing partners in industry. Learn more about our work to protect our last wild and free rivers with Wild and Scenic River protection.
- We still need your help to raise the remaining funding to buy out the gas leases to protect the equally pristine headwaters of the Hoback River in Wyoming by the end of the year.
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