VICTORIA- Cariboo South MLA Charlie Wyse plans to greet Peace River Cowboy Tony White, a.k.a. “Tony the Rider,” at the steps of the Legislature next week when he arrives on horseback to raise awareness around sour gas wells and their effects on his community.

“The Peace is suffering, children are suffering and I am in full support of anyone trying to bring attention to this issue,” said Wyse. “Under the current law in B.C., sour gas wells can be drilled within 100 metres of homes and schools. Peace residents have the right to be consulted with respect to the placement of sour gas wells in their community but it’s obvious they’re given very little say when a well is being drilled into their backyard."

Sour gas contains a high proportion of hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, which can be lethal, killing a person in an instant after inhalation. Sour gas is known for its strong rotten-egg odor. Standard practice in the industry is to dispose of H2S by burning it on site, also called flaring.

“Rather than paying to pipe it to a refinery, have it separated, and find a market for it, gas companies extract natural gas directly from these wells and in doing so pose a threat to homes and schools nearby” said Tony White. “Wells used to be sunk in the bush, away from populated areas but gas companies cut costs by drilling in areas where road accessibility, power and water are readily available.”

A gas well placed behind Upper Pine Elementary in Fort St. John has caused flare-ups, while one of the main compressors for the Alaskan natural gas pipeline, situated only half a kilometre behind Buick Creek Elementary in Peace River North, has had leaks in the past.

“I have requested a meeting with Liberal Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum, to explain why sour gas wells are being drilled next to people’s homes and children’s schools,” said White. “I’d like to know why the Minister thinks its ‘safe’ for our children to have a compressor in their back yard and live with the stink of sour gas 24 hours a day.”

Under the B.C. Energy Plan, the Campbell government makes no reference to the dangerous gases produced from flaring and the cumulative effect flaring has on community health.

“The Liberals would have the public believe that new technologies make nearby wells safe for residents, however I strongly disagree,” said Wyse. “We have to consider the cumulative effects that low-levels of H2S are having on the Peace Region, not to mention the fact that these people are living in constant fear of gas leaks, explosions, and routine flaring.”