Expert Panel Chair Appointed for Council Assessment on Shale Gas

The Council is pleased to announce the appointment of John A. Cherry as Chair of the Expert Panel on Harnessing Science and Technology to Understand the Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction.

John A. Cherry, Director of the University Consortium for Field-Focused Groundwater Contamination Research, Associate Director of G360 – Centre for Applied Groundwater Research, and Adjunct Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph, was selected to chair the panel on shale gas extraction. He held the Research Chair in Contaminant Hydrogeology at the University of Waterloo from 1996 to 2006, where he was also named a Distinguished Professor Emeritus.

In 2011, the Minister of Environment asked the Council of Canadian Academies to provide an evidence-based and authoritative assessment on the state of knowledge of potential environmental impacts from the exploration, extraction and development of Canada’s shale gas resources. The Minister has also asked the Council to assess the current state of knowledge regarding associated mitigation options.

The Council, under the guidance of its Scientific Advisory Committee, is now assembling an expert panel for this assessment. The panel will consist of experts from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds to ensure the most authoritative, credible, and independent response to the question.

For continued updates on the status of this assessment visit the shale gas page.