field notes

Doctors speak to cancer rates and health impacts in Fort Chipewyan

CPAWS Northern Alberta has posted a series of videos of scientists and doctors speaking about the increased cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan, downstream of Alberta's oil sands developments. Speakers include Dr. Kevin Timoney, Dr. John O'Connor, and Dr. Gina Solomon.

Posted July 20, 2010 by AEN

Alberta Wilderness Association Comments on Proposed Parks Legislation

The Alberta Wilderness Association has posted its comments (pdf) on the proposed Alberta Parks legislation.

Posted July 15, 2010 by AEN

Senate Passes Budget Bill Weakening Canadian Environmental Assessment

Despite the opposition of public interest groups, including AEN members Ecojustice, Sierra Club Canada, and the Environmental Law Centre, and a recommendation from the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate voted to pass the budget bill (C-9) including provisions to weaken the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. The Environmental Law Centre's Adam Driedzic weighs in on the impacts on the environmental assessment process and the "exclusion of the public from decision-making on matters of public interest."

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to be concerned with this one.  For the second straight year, the federal budget bill passed with Trojan horse provisions unrelated to the budget.   The perennial target is the federal environmental assessment regime, but the real victim is the public.

Posted July 14, 2010 by AEN

Devon blowout highlights impacts of in situ oilsands operations

In the wake of last weekend's blowout at Devon Canada's Jackfish in situ oilsands site, the Pembina Institute's Terra Simieritsch posts on the environmental impacts of in situ oilsands operations:

We conducted a first-of-its-kind analysis of the environmental performance of in situ oil sands operations, comparing mining and in situ development side by side. Our resulting fact sheet revealed that in situ development is not an environmental gamechanger…

The bottom line is in situ oil sands development comes with significant impacts and risks - impacts and risks that shouldn't be downplayed. Cumulative impacts have the potential to extend across a very large landscape.

Posted July 14, 2010 by AEN

2010-06 Vol. 18 No. 3 Wild Lands Advocate

The Alberta Wilderness Association has posted the latest issue of Wild Lands Advocate.

 Features

• Lakeland: A Lifelong Odyssey in a Land of Wonder
• Exploring Alberta’s Mountain Wilderness
• Thoughts on “Being:” Get Out There
• Disabled Citizens: Welcome Them into the Conservation Community
• Blind Ambition: the Ross Watson Message
• North America’s Original Frequent Fliers

Posted July 8, 2010 by AEN

The Environmental Law Centre speaks

The Environmental Law Centre has been busy today. They've published:

• an update to their comments on Bill C-9 (Jobs and Economic Growth Act);
• Comments on Management of Uranium Mine Waste Rock and Mill Tailings Discussion Paper;
• Laura Bowman blogs on Alberta's declining grizzly populations; and 
• Jason Unger blogs on "the gravity of potential harms arising from human activities on the environment".

Posted July 7, 2010 by AEN