Kinge of Dremes MLIS Government Information Sources

 What are the Oil Sands?  Extraction methods  Environmental and Other Concerns  Federal Agencies & the Oil Sands  Provincial Agencies & the Oil Sands  Questions

 140,000 km 2 of Northern Alberta & Sask.  175 billion barrels of proven reserves  Estimates of actual reserves exceed 1.5 trillion barrels

 Surface mining  In situ Steam- Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD)

 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

 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

 Alberta  Industry

 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

 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)

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 Available: [15 Nov 2010] Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. Minutes of Proceedings. (Meeting No. 25, 17 June 2010) 40 th Parliament, 3 rd Session. (Online). Available: ode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3. [15 Nov 2010]. ode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3 Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. Evidence for Meeting 6. (Meeting No. 6, March 30, 2010) 40 th Parliament, 3 rd Session. (Online). Available: ode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3. [15 Nov 2010]. ode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3 Liberal Party of Canada. “The Hidden Dimension: Water and the Oil Sands”. 18 Aug Available: Sands.pdf [15 Nov 2010]. Sands.pdf New Democrat Party of Canada. “Missing in Action: The Federal Government and the Protection of Water in the Oil Sands”. 25 Sep Available: %202010%20single%20print.pdf. [15 Nov 2010]. %202010%20single%20print.pdf