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.
"The report noted the Alberta's requirements for environmental assessment are less stringent than what World Bank requires for projects in developing countries. It also states that the capacity of the Alberta and federal governments to properly monitor and regulate the tar sands are inadequate."
"It's something we have been saying all along," states Sheila Muxlow, Director with the Prairie Chapter. "Sierra Club Canada, in its testimony at tar sands environmental hearings, has consistently argued for a cumulative assessment of the overall environmental, health and socioeconomic impacts. The Royal Society of Canada report agrees."
"No new scientific research was undertaken by the Royal Society of Canada in preparing this report. It depended on inadequate and often industry provided data."
"There is an obvious gap in the amount of independent studies and Indigenous traditional knowledge available for review regarding the impacts from these operations." comments Dustin Johnson, Energy campaigner. "This report helps to justify why we need to see a moratorium on new tar sands projects until more holistic information can be gathered and assessed."
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- Dustin Johnson, Energy Campaigner, Sierra Club Prairie 587-588-5890
- Sheila Muxlow, Director, Sierra Club Prairie 780-660-0312
- John Bennett, Executive Director, Sierra Club Canada 613-291-6888