Seismic testing public meetings cancelled

Windsor Energy has cancelled three public meetings on seismic testingin southern New Brunswick.

The oil and gas company had scheduled meetings in Sussex, Hampton and Norton for the coming week to talk about plans for a new seismic testing project between Sussex and Hampton.

Seismic testing is done to identifyareas that could be gas-bearing.

President and CEO ofWindsor Energy, Khalid Amin,said the decision to cancel the meetings had nothing to do withrecent protests or vandalism.Roughly 1,000 people protested against hydro-fracking on the front lawn of the legislature earlier in August.

Hydro-fracking uses water mixed with chemicals and sand and allows companies to access natural gas deposits.

"Obviously it's a very real concern when citizens aren't complying to the laws and making threats or vandalizing premises, and that's a concern to everybody. It should be a concern to all New Brunswickers," Amin said Saturday.

Protesters have been concerned the process will ruin water supplies.

Amin said the project has been delayed because permits are taking longer to get than expected.

"It's been a delay in getting the equipment, the people, the permits, the approvals, all these type ofthings," Amin said. "It's just taking a little longer than we thought, so we're just waiting on that then we'll go later in the fall and do the program."