Guilbeault wants stronger links with Alberta on issues of oilsands tailings ponds | 24CA News
Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has repeated his name for a stronger federal presence relating to environmental monitoring and communications within the oilsands, following a pair of wastewater releases from Imperial Oil’s Kearl mine in Alberta.
“The reason the federal government is proposing to change the way we do monitoring and communications on the tailings ponds is that in this instance (the current system) didn’t work,” he stated Monday.
Guilbeault added Ottawa is contemplating suggestions from the Mikisew Cree First Nation, which embrace reforms to environmental monitoring, presently performed by {industry}.
“We agree with them. We need a better monitoring system.”
Read extra:
Kearl oilsands leak exposes gaps in how Alberta and Canada oversee {industry}: specialists
The first launch was noticed and reported in May as discoloured water close to a tailings pond. It was discovered to be tailings seepage however no additional updates had been offered to space First Nations till February, when it was disclosed to the general public and federal and provincial setting ministers together with a second launch of 5.3 million litres of tailings.
That’s not acceptable, Guilbeault stated.
“The system we have in place is failing.”
Guilbeault repeated his plan for a brand new physique with federal, provincial and First Nation members that might meet repeatedly to share info, particularly on environmental emergencies just like the Kearl releases.
It would additionally focus on cleansing up tailings releases, maintain the huge poisonous ponds contained and long-term options for them — proposals contained in a letter Guilbeault despatched final week to his provincial counterpart, Sonya Savage.
“We would find processes where everyone gets the information in a timely, transparent and accurate manner,” he stated. “No one has to find out months later something has been going on.”
Guilbeault stated he additionally needs the physique to take a look at reform of water monitoring within the space.
“Many would feel relieved if monitoring was done in an independent manner.”
Billy-Joe Tuccaro, chief of the Mikisew Cree First Nation, stated Guilbeault promised as a lot in a gathering.
“They promised to increase the monitoring program,” he stated.
Alberta’s present $50-million, industry-funded monitoring program hasn’t had a funds improve in a decade. The program has been criticized by its personal scientists for being good at gathering information however dangerous at doing something with it.
In public statements, Savage has agreed to the necessity to take a look at communication between the 2 ranges of presidency in addition to long-term options to oilsands tailings, which cowl in whole 300 sq. kilometres and maintain 1.4 trillion litres of poisonous tailings.
Guilbeault stated Savage appears open to dialogue.
Meanwhile, Tuccaro stated ingesting water for the neighborhood of Fort Chipewyan, promised by Ottawa, has began to reach. The water is being shared with all First Nations doubtlessly affected by the spill, he stated.
But Tuccaro stated Ottawa has but to approve his band’s long-standing request for a long-term neighborhood well being research in the neighborhood of Fort Chipewyan.
“They haven’t committed to a community health study,” he stated. “That’s a big one.”
Tuccaro stated feedback from Imperial and the provincial authorities that there have been no impacts to water or wildlife don’t reassure his neighborhood.
“They couldn’t even tell us (the seepage) is being contained,” he stated. “We want it 100 per cent contained.”
Guilbeault stated officers from Imperial Oil and the Alberta Energy Regulator will probably be invited to seem earlier than the House of Commons setting and sustainable improvement committee.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
