Seismic testing trucks blocked by protesters

Protesters angered over seismic testing in New Brunswick are blockading a road north of Stanley in an effort to stop a mining company's vehicles from leaving the area.

Roughly 40 people have blocked the route, about 15 minutes north of Stanley, in the latest public display of opposition to seismic testing and hydro-fracking in New Brunswick.

Protesters came from various communities, such as Penniac, Taymouth, Stanley, Rogersville and several First Nations, and began singing traditional First Nations songs once the RCMP arrived.

The blockade has stopped trucks owned by Southwestern Resources Canada from moving to a new location. The trucks are used in seismic testing — a step carried out to determine if there is a potential for hydrofracking. Equipment on the trucks send out sonar signals sensitive to different rock types, including determining natural gas

The protesters are concerned that the seismic testing could lead to hydro-fracking in their communities. If the contentious mining practice is used, they are worried it will harm their air and water quality.

This isn't the first time that the mining company has experienced problems with its equipment.

SWN Resources had some of its seismic equipment destroyed in Chipman last month.

Tom Alexander, SWN's general manager for New Brunswick, said in July that they are only exploring the region and are not hydro-fracking. He said the damage caused delays, but operations will continue.

Hydro-fracking is a process where companies pump a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the ground, creating cracks in shale rock formations.

That allows companies to extract natural gas from areas that would otherwise go untapped.

The New Brunswick government announced new regulations surrounding shale gas exploration earlier this year in an attempt to quiet the protests.