Canadian Readers: The Calgary Herald reports, "The question of shale-gas drilling in Quebec needs to be further studied, says a committee that spent the past six months looking into the industry.  The committee says the government should do a strategic environmental evaluation of shale-gas drilling. That’s the kind of long-term study that was done on oil and gas drilling in the lower St. Lawrence River, which led to a ban on drilling last fall. That type of study, overseen by an expert committee, can take one to two years to complete."  We caution our readers to beware the environmental extremist bearing a gift, olive branch or a request for more studies than current, rigorous laws and regulations require.  -dh

Alaskan Readers: We don’t need to be brain surgeons, college professors or economists to go to one of these events today and say: "Alaska depends on oil for 90% of our State’s operating budget and over a third of our entire economy.  My family, my neighborhood, my community and the future of my children will be positively impacted if you approve a robust 2012-2017 Leasing program for Alaska’s Outer Continential Shelf (OCS)".  -dh (dh testimony, f.y.i.)

1.  Anchorage BOEMRE Hearing: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Sign up at 6 to testify as early as possible) on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, at 3801 Centerpoint (Between 36th Ave and the Arctic Slope Regional Corp building), in the 1st floor conference room (More background information here).

2.  Fairbanks Chamber BOEMRE Comment Meeting (Click and scroll down, yesterdays story below):  On Wednesday, March 9, the GFCC’s Natural Resources Committee will host “Coffee, Croissants & Comments” from 7am until 11am at the Chamber office (located at 100 Cushman Street (attached to the Key Bank Building downtown) to give members of the Chamber and the community the opportunity to submit public comment to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) regarding oil and gas leasing sales on Alaska’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).  KUDOS TO THE FAIRBANKS CHAMBER LEADERSHIP AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LISA HERBERT!