Fracking opposition not surprised by licence refusal

People on Newfoundland's west coast who are opposed to fracking near GrosMorne National Park say they aren't surprised by Shoal Point Energy's licence loss.

The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board refused a one-year extension on an exploration licence for hydraulic fracturing near the UNESCO site.

Simon Jansen, with the Fracking Awareness Network in Corner Brook, said he's been following the proposal closely and was expecting the decision that came down.

"C-NLOPB acted accordingly much to our expectations, so we were not very surprised," he said.

According to Jansen, it will take more than public consultations and an independent review in the future to ensure minimal impact on the province's other industries before moving forward with fracking plans.

"I do think that it is really important to consider the existing economies, particularly our fisheries and our tourism industries here on the west coast, which will be negatively impacted if the oil industry moves to the west coast," Jansen said.

Shoal Point Energy lost a $1-million deposit that went along with the licence application.

The C-NLOPB said in a statement to CBC that almost eight years had passed, but there was minimal exploration undertaken.

Mark Jarvis, CEO of Shoal Point Energy, said the company even offered to surrender its licence to frack near Gros Morne in order to attain an extension, but that wasn't enough.

"It's beautiful, it's a unique place. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and we just think development in that particular spot just isn't appropriate," Jarvis said.

Shoal Point Energy lost 78 per cent of its possible business here, and is now down to two licences that take in the area from Lark Harbour to Port au Port Bay.