Environment Committee on March 12th, 2009

[Cynthia Wright]

I'll let Dr. Wrona describe the research program.

[Fred Wrona, Acting Director General, Water Science and Technology, Department of the Environment]

Thank you.

With respect to the kinds of activities we've been doing in the region, since 1991 in a number of our technical studies and other initiatives we certainly have been working at the issue of source water quality in the basin.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Do you carry out your own review or do you rely on the RAMP work?

[Fred Wrona]

We participate in processes such as RAMP, but we have our own work that we do. We have monitoring stations. We do actually have one Environment Canada water quality monitoring station right at the Wood Buffalo National Park site. A lot of water quality monitoring within the basin itself is actually done by the Province of Alberta, and those data are publicly and freely made available to us.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Dr. Wrona, are there actually any standards for you to compare to when you're monitoring? For example, as I understand, Environment Canada, under the Fisheries Act and CEPA, has issued standards for pulp and paper, for secondary lead smelters, and so forth. Why is Environment Canada not issuing regulatory standards for the tar sands facilities?

[Cynthia Wright]

I can take that question.

With respect to deciding to make a specific regulation under any of our legislation, we have to look at whether there's a likelihood of a source that is not currently controlled. In this case the Government of Alberta has a zero discharge permitting policy that is enforceable from their perspective. That's why my colleague Mr. Tremblay explained that they are looking at whether there is any seepage through the monitoring that's done to determine if that zero discharge permitting policy is in fact being implemented. All the information to date for us has said that, yes, that is the case. So there is not a release into the water that we would then be able to regulate.

The Fisheries Act, though, has that similar prohibition against a discharge, so it's a tool we can continue to use to ensure the zero discharge permits of the Government of Alberta are enforced.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Under the Fisheries Act--I suppose DFO would speak to that--they do also have powers to intervene for preventive action, whereas under Environment Canada it's after the fact, after a spill, as I understand. Doesn't Environment Canada also have a responsibility to be looking at the water withdrawals, not just the fact of whether or not there is seepage from these tar ponds? There's mounting concern that perhaps the Athabasca River cannot handle the level of extraction of these facilities at the pace they're going.

Are you in specific discussions with Alberta Environment on their proposal where they may return the water from these tar ponds into the lake to make up the loss of water in the river?

[Cynthia Wright]

I'll make just two points, if I may, Mr. Chair, to correct a misperception I may have left with respect to the Fisheries Act.

If you make a regulation under the Fisheries Act, essentially that allows a level of discharge. That's the nature of the regulation-making power. Otherwise, it's prohibited. So in this case there's no point in making a regulation that would allow a discharge when a discharge is prohibited. I think everyone agrees that this is the preferred approach here.

With respect to water quantity, we do have 47 hydrometric stations that measure the water quantity in the region, and there is research that Dr. Wrona can describe that relates to the effect of water withdrawals on instream flow.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Time has expired. Thank you.

Mr. Warawa.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses for being here.

I want to talk about water, the management of that resource, and the potential risks to that resource. That's the ultimate goal, I believe, of the committee--to look at the water.

We heard last week that approximately 80% of that resource will be dealt with using in situ. At this point 20% of the resource is open pit mining, and that's often where the questions are focused. I'd like to focus on both.

For example, Ms. Wright, you talked about the environmental assessments. You said that you'd been involved in approximately 12 environmental assessments for the oil sands. In situ, is there a requirement for an environmental assessment?

[Cynthia Wright]

I just want to be clear that I understand your question with respect to in situ. Do you mean if there is an impact within the tailings ponds, but contained and not released into the environment?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

No. There would be no tailings ponds. It would be in situ, as opposed to open pit, to get at the bitumen. We were told that at 75 metres or deeper they use in situ as the technology to get the resource. If there was a proposal to use in situ to get at the bitumen, will there be an environmental assessment required?

[Cynthia Wright]

There wouldn't be a federal trigger in that case. It would come under the provincial environmental assessment authorities.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

That was my understanding.

So the water research we're looking at is primarily the Athabasca River and the tailings ponds. Has there been a look at the possible impact on the aquifer? Right now you're looking at the Athabasca River, but has there been a look at the impact on aquifers as opposed to surface water sources?

[Cynthia Wright]

The authorities for groundwater are provincial authorities, so that would be a question the provincial government would answer.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Cooper, on health.

[John Cooper]

My understanding is that all the communities downstream are on surface water, not groundwater.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

So at this point we're not looking at that.

[John Cooper]

It is a very important area that should be looked at if it is a problem.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

If 80% of that resource is going to be used in situ, and we're not looking at the groundwater, you're suggesting that it might be something we look at. Is that correct?

[John Cooper]

It would be something the Alberta government should take the lead on, and certainly from our perspective, we would be interested in any findings.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Thank you.

Visiting the area a couple summers ago and walking along the shore of the Athabasca River, I could see rocks oozing bitumen right into the watercourse. That has been going on forever, for as long as that has existed. So we're looking at additional possible contaminants from the tailings ponds. And at this point, there has been no evidence of any leaching from these tailings ponds into the Athabasca River. Is that correct?

[Cynthia Wright]

That is correct.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Maybe you could share with us how a tailings pond is designed--and it's very important to make sure that it is being assessed on a regular basis--to ensure that it will not leach.

[Cynthia Wright]

I'm not an engineer, so I couldn't describe in detail the engineering. But essentially they're looking for material to line the ponds.