BILL 56

An Act to End Oil and Natural Gas Exploration and Drilling

His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

1 The Oil and Natural Gas Act, Chapter O-2.1 of the Acts of New Brunswick, 1976, is amended by adding after section 3 the following:

END OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION AND DRILLING

Prohibition against exploration and drilling for oil or natural gas

3.1 Despite any other provision of this Act or the regulations, and despite the provisions of any lease, licence, permit, instrument or agreement, on and after the commencement of this section, no person shall

(a)  explore for, or cause to be explored for, oil or natural gas,

(b)  undertake geophysical exploration, whether on land, on water or by aircraft,

(c)  drill a well for the purposes of exploration for, or production of, oil or natural gas, or

(d)  hydraulically fracture a well.

Revocation of licences

3.2 Despite any other provision of this Act or the regulations, and despite the provisions of any lease, licence, permit, instrument or agreement, on and after the commencement of this section

(a)  all geophysical licences granted under section 13 are revoked,

(b)  all licences to search granted under section 17 are revoked, and

(c)  the Minister shall not grant a geophysical licence or licence to search.

2 No cause of action arises and no action or other proceeding for compensation, damages or otherwise lies or shall be instituted against the Crown in right of the Province or any minister, employee, corporation or agency of the Crown as a direct or indirect result of the enactment of this Act.

Commencement

3 This Act or any provision of it comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by proclamation.