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Oil Sands and Canada’s water Resources

Kinge of Dremes MLIS Government Information Sources. Oil Sands and Canada’s water Resources. Oil Sands and Canada’s Water Resources: June 17, 2010. What are the Oil Sands? Extraction methods Environmental and Other Concerns Federal Agencies & the Oil Sands

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Oil Sands and Canada’s water Resources

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  1. Kinge of Dremes MLIS Government Information Sources Oil Sands and Canada’s water Resources

  2. Oil Sands and Canada’s Water Resources: June 17, 2010

  3. What are the Oil Sands? Extraction methods Environmental and Other Concerns Federal Agencies & the Oil Sands Provincial Agencies & the Oil Sands Questions Discussion Points

  4. 140,000 km2 of Northern Alberta & Sask. 175 billion barrels of proven reserves Estimates of actual reserves exceed 1.5 trillion barrels Oil Sands

  5. Surface mining Extraction Methods • In situ Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD)

  6. 3 sources of contamination • Airborne; Water-borne; Surface-water runoff • Increase in cancer rates and other health issues • Harm to fish and wildlife • Water quality (Hg, Pb, As, napthenic acids) • Water quantity • Groundwater contamination • Greenhouse gases Environmental and Other Concerns

  7. Federal Agencies & the Oil Sands

  8. Federal Acts • Fisheries Act • Canadian Environment Protection Act (CEPA) • Canada Water Act • Canadian Environmental Assessment Act • Species at Risk Act • Migratory Birds Act • National Parks Act • Federal government has no jurisdiction over ground water Federal Responsibilities

  9. Alberta • Industry Provincial Agencies & the Oil Sands

  10. Alberta • Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act • Water Act • No existing policy to protect or restore wetlands • Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP) • Industry initiative, but Alberta relies on its information • Results not made public Provincial Responsibilities

  11. Federal and Provincial governments have been neglecting the effect of oil sand operations on Canada’s water resources • Changes needed: • Increase monitoring of water supply • Enforce existing acts and laws • Develop legally binding regulations, permits and authorizations (DFO & Environment Canada) • Increase transparency for findings • Reduce reliance on industry-supplied data • Establish an ecosystem base flow (EBF) Concluding remarks

  12. Questions?

  13. Brown, G., Moorhouse, J., Grant, J. “Opening the Door for Oil Sands Expansion: The Hidden Environmental Impacts of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline”. Drayton Valley, AB : Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development. 2009. Available: http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/gateway-upstream-report.pdf . [15 Nov 2010] Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. Minutes of Proceedings. (Meeting No. 25, 17 June 2010) 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (Online). Available: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4642266&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3. [15 Nov 2010]. Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. Evidence for Meeting 6. (Meeting No. 6, March 30, 2010) 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (Online). Available: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4402785&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3. [15 Nov 2010]. Liberal Party of Canada. “The Hidden Dimension: Water and the Oil Sands”. 18 Aug 2010. Available: http://francisscarpaleggia.liberal.ca/files/2010/08/The-Hidden-Dimension_Water-and-the-Oil-Sands.pdf [15 Nov 2010]. New Democrat Party of Canada. “Missing in Action: The Federal Government and the Protection of Water in the Oil Sands”. 25 Sep 2010. Available: http://lindaduncan.ndp.ca/sites/default/files/NDP%20Report_Oil%20Sands%20and%20Water%202010%20single%20print.pdf . [15 Nov 2010]. References

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