Apr
01
2011
Environmental Assessment
Mar
24
2011
Pembina Reacts to Lower Athabasca Water Quality Monitoring Plan
Jennifer Grant, director of the Pembina Institute's oilsands program, made the following statement in response to the Federal Lower Athabasca Water Quality Monitoring Plan:
"This plan is a good step toward providing a credible foundation for the monitoring of the Athabasca River downstream from the oilsands. We hope this plan signals that the federal government is willing to meet its obligations to ensure that oilsands development occurs responsibly and in accordance with Canadians' expectations.
Read More
Mar
11
2011
Call for Comments: Jackpine Mine Expansion & Pierre River Mine Projects Public Consultation on Joint Review Agreements
Initiative:
Jackpine Mine Expansion and Pierre River Mine Projects Public Consultation on Joint Review Agreements
Deadline:
6 Apr 2011
On March 7, 2011, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) released for public comment draft agreements to establish joint panels with Alberta’s Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) for the environmental assessments of two oil sands projects: the Jackpine Mine Expansion and Pierre River Mine projects in northern Alberta. Read More
Mar
08
2011
Oil sands monitoring steps laid out by Alberta ENGO
Keys to regaining credibility include establishing baselines, asserting federal leadership, and maintaining scientific independence
The credibility of Alberta's and Canada's attempts to responsibly manage the environmental effects of oil sands development rests on responding to calls for improved monitoring of the Athabasca River. Today Water Matters, an Alberta-based water-policy think-tank, has released Replacing the Oil Sands' Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP) with Effective Environmental Monitoring Solutions, providing recommendations for improving freshwater monitoring system between the Government of Canada and the province of Alberta. Read More
Feb
11
2011
ELC Comments on environmental assessment of ski areas in national parks
The Environmental Law Centre has posted its comments on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's "Proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Study List Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act related to ski area developments in national parks" Read More
Jan
28
2011
Approval of Total oilsands mine deeply flawed
CALGARY, AB — Environmental groups are condemning the approval of the Total Joslyn North Mine project, which fails to meet legal requirements for cumulative impacts assessment and ignores growing concerns about lack of government oversight and monitoring.
The Oil Sands Environmental Coalition, represented by Ecojustice, opposed the project in provincial-federal joint review panel hearings last fall. Read More
Jan
13
2011
Monitoring on the Mind
With the spate of news & reports on environmental monitoring (or the lack thereof) in the oilsands region, monitoring is on the mind of a couple of AEN members.
Laura Bowman of the Environmental Law Centre posts on the need for an independent environmental monitoring agency:
…a clear, unambiguous commitment to better monitoring resources and stronger federal and provincial oversight at the approvals stage is still glaringly absent. What the oilsands really need is a well-resourced agency with the expertise and independence to be a bold regulator.
Pembina's Terra Simieritsch writes on the importance of water quality monitoring, and asks some questions of the federal & provincial governments:
Will limits be set and will laws be enforced? And ultimately, if the data points to unacceptable changes in the Athabasca River, what are the federal and provincial governments prepared to do? Read More
Dec
20
2010
Pembina reacts to Alberta Environment oilsands monitoring announcement
CALGARY, AB — Nathan Lemphers, policy analyst for the Pembina Institute responded to Alberta Environment's announcement of a provincial environmental monitoring panel.
"It is a step forward for the Alberta government to concede that the current monitoring system for the oilsands is inadequate, but this announcement needs to be kept in perspective. The government has asked for recommendations for a world-class monitoring system, but it's uncertain when or even whether they will be implemented.
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Dec
15
2010
Sierra Club Canada Response to Royal Society of Canada Report
Edmonton - The Royal Society of Canada report on the tar sands validates the concerns of Sierra Club Canada in calling for improved environmental assessment, enforcement of regulations, studies of impacts on ground and surface water and monitoring of health impacts.
"Repeated throughout the report is a call for more study of the impacts and greater access to information," said John Bennett. Read More
Oct
15
2010
What lies beneath? Accessing environmental information on real estate
The Environmental Law Centre has made the materials from their "What lies beneath? Accessing environmental information on real estate" webinar available to view online or download.
"I would never have bought if I knew..."
Are you a homebuyer, seller, real estate agent, or lawyer? Whether your concern is "due diligence" or "buyer beware," the practical challenge is the same: at this time there is no one-stop shopping for environmental information in Alberta.
On October 13, Environmental Law Centre Staff Counsel Adam Driedzic presented a webinar about accessing environmental records. This session gave special attention to the property condition and emerging online services.
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