But as of October 2015, the work of the expert panel — Ray Gosine, Graham Gagnon, Maurice Dusseault, Wade Locke, and Kevin Keough — continued.
The provincial department still does not have a final report, but is expecting one at some point next season, with no specific deadline set.
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“The final report from the hydraulic fracturing review panel will be released to the provincial government and to the public in the spring,” reads a statement supplied on behalf of current Natural Resources minister Siobhan Coady.
While on the campaign trail, the Liberals promised consideration of the review panel’s work, but also a look at whether or not a company proposing an onshore or nearshore oil project involving use of hydraulic fracturing actually held the social licence to move forward.
“Any future decisions regarding the hydraulic fracturing industry will be based on scientific evidence, and most importantly, on a social licence from the Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who may be affected,” Coady reiterated in the statement this week.
afitzpatrick@thetelegram.com