April 30th, 2008, 08:59 AM
A Syncrude tailings pond in the Fort McMurray oil sands project has turned into the final stop for hundreds of migrating ducks.
Rescue efforts are under way, but hampered by the ring of ice around the pond which prevents launching boats to get at the dying birds. Noise cannons which are supposed to deter the birds didn't function properly, and hundreds of ducks landed only to be poisoned by the toxic sludge.
Syncrude faces fines up to $1million for not having working prevention in place to scare off wildlife, but is hoping that they will be given leniency due to the heavy snow falls which prevented the cannons from working properly. Hopefully their reluctance to bring this situation to attention (it was revealed only through a tipster), will halt any thoughts of leniency.
The Edmonton Sun has an article on it, as I'm sure most Canadian news services do.
A Syncrude tailings pond in the Fort McMurray oil sands project has turned into the final stop for hundreds of migrating ducks.
Rescue efforts are under way, but hampered by the ring of ice around the pond which prevents launching boats to get at the dying birds. Noise cannons which are supposed to deter the birds didn't function properly, and hundreds of ducks landed only to be poisoned by the toxic sludge.
Syncrude faces fines up to $1million for not having working prevention in place to scare off wildlife, but is hoping that they will be given leniency due to the heavy snow falls which prevented the cannons from working properly. Hopefully their reluctance to bring this situation to attention (it was revealed only through a tipster), will halt any thoughts of leniency.
The Edmonton Sun has an article on it, as I'm sure most Canadian news services do.
That fine sounds about right.
Hawkings former plumber
Posts: 8,442 
Videos: 1
Location: RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia Drive Apt 911
Videos: 1
Location: RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia Drive Apt 911
April 30th, 2008, 09:55 AM
What about signage? This tragedy could have been avoided with proper warnings posted. Duck literacy must be addressed.
What about signage? This tragedy could have been avoided with proper warnings posted. Duck literacy must be addressed.
April 30th, 2008, 12:42 PM
Quoting Lester
How can you span lakes and chunks of oceans with bridges? Seriously, to prevent a $1million fine you'd think they could find a way to back up the noise cannons.
These ponds are huge Karrie more like lakes I don't know how you could span them with nets.
Gobsmacked
Posts: 4,638
April 30th, 2008, 01:46 PM
Quote:
stay tuned folks - I'm sure this isn't the last story we're gonna hear on environmental mayhem at the hands of the tarsands development.
....Company and government officials estimate there are roughly 500 birds trapped in the toxic pond in a disaster that has never before been witnessed in the northern Alberta oilsands region.
Gobsmacked
Posts: 4,638
April 30th, 2008, 01:50 PM
kind of like the railroad mishaps - once a few really big derailments were covered in the media, someone did some digging and discovered a whole whack of incidents Canada wide had gone unreported to the general public.
I image Environmental groups are watching Northern Alberta pretty closely though - given it's already high profile on the Eco radar.
kind of like the railroad mishaps - once a few really big derailments were covered in the media, someone did some digging and discovered a whole whack of incidents Canada wide had gone unreported to the general public.
I image Environmental groups are watching Northern Alberta pretty closely though - given it's already high profile on the Eco radar.
May 1st, 2008, 09:05 AM
follow up...
Premier Ed Stelmach downplayed the impact of up to 500 dead birds in the toxic sludge of a Syncrude tailings pond as critics called for stricter oilsands controls yesterday.
Only three ducks were expected to survive after a flock of waterfowl landed Monday morning on the partially frozen pond filled with oilsands waste near Fort McMurray.
Facing a barrage of opposition questions over the incident that has garnered international attention, Stelmach said the lack of past animal health complaints demonstrates the company's cannon-based noise deterrence system works.
"We expect companies to live up to the licences we permit and if they don't there are consequences," said Stelmach. "Thirty years ago, Syncrude pioneered the bird diversion strategy, the research. And for 30 years, things went well. One year, we have one incident and this is what's being used by (the Alberta Liberal party) to not only damage the reputation of the department of the environment, but of a company and also this legislature."
Good intentions notwithstanding, the incident could not have come at a worse time. Deputy Premier Ron Stevens is currently in Washington, D.C., lobbying on Alberta's behalf for exemptions to a law that might ban U.S. federal agencies from buying the province's synthetic crude. He's already received negative attention from environmental groups, and the province had just announced it is spending $25 million in tax dollars on a publicity campaign to show the Stelmach government is a good environmental steward.
Opposition politicians suggested that stewardship system is over-reliant on companies reporting problems, and the bird incident was actually reported by a tipster. If the self-reporting part of the system isn't working, Albertans should not be confident that this is the first incident, said Liberal Leader Kevin Taft.
"The fact that we had to rely on a whistleblower to tell us the truth in this situation puts all of the historical information into doubt," said Taft. "These ponds are pools of toxic water so vast that it takes the largest earthen dams in the world to hold them in place."
NDP Leader Brian Mason said Alberta needs to step up its environmental policing. "During the 2007 (budget) estimates debate, the minister of the environment said, and I quote, 'The best way to ensure compliance with legislation is not by going out and hiring more policemen.' Today, we see the folly of that approach: 500 migratory birds stuck in the goo of a Syncrude tailings pond."
Environment Minister Rob Renner said the government must, to some extent, rely on tipsters but clarified that the government takes other steps and the system is not entirely self-policed.
follow up...
Premier Ed Stelmach downplayed the impact of up to 500 dead birds in the toxic sludge of a Syncrude tailings pond as critics called for stricter oilsands controls yesterday.
Only three ducks were expected to survive after a flock of waterfowl landed Monday morning on the partially frozen pond filled with oilsands waste near Fort McMurray.
Facing a barrage of opposition questions over the incident that has garnered international attention, Stelmach said the lack of past animal health complaints demonstrates the company's cannon-based noise deterrence system works.
"We expect companies to live up to the licences we permit and if they don't there are consequences," said Stelmach. "Thirty years ago, Syncrude pioneered the bird diversion strategy, the research. And for 30 years, things went well. One year, we have one incident and this is what's being used by (the Alberta Liberal party) to not only damage the reputation of the department of the environment, but of a company and also this legislature."
Good intentions notwithstanding, the incident could not have come at a worse time. Deputy Premier Ron Stevens is currently in Washington, D.C., lobbying on Alberta's behalf for exemptions to a law that might ban U.S. federal agencies from buying the province's synthetic crude. He's already received negative attention from environmental groups, and the province had just announced it is spending $25 million in tax dollars on a publicity campaign to show the Stelmach government is a good environmental steward.
Opposition politicians suggested that stewardship system is over-reliant on companies reporting problems, and the bird incident was actually reported by a tipster. If the self-reporting part of the system isn't working, Albertans should not be confident that this is the first incident, said Liberal Leader Kevin Taft.
"The fact that we had to rely on a whistleblower to tell us the truth in this situation puts all of the historical information into doubt," said Taft. "These ponds are pools of toxic water so vast that it takes the largest earthen dams in the world to hold them in place."
NDP Leader Brian Mason said Alberta needs to step up its environmental policing. "During the 2007 (budget) estimates debate, the minister of the environment said, and I quote, 'The best way to ensure compliance with legislation is not by going out and hiring more policemen.' Today, we see the folly of that approach: 500 migratory birds stuck in the goo of a Syncrude tailings pond."
Environment Minister Rob Renner said the government must, to some extent, rely on tipsters but clarified that the government takes other steps and the system is not entirely self-policed.
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,515
Location: In the bush somewhere near Sudbury
Location: In the bush somewhere near Sudbury
May 1st, 2008, 09:20 AM
We can take all the precautions in the world but none of man's best intentions can over-ride the instinctive nature of wildlife. How many birds fly into reflective glass and lit up buildings every year?
Woof!
We can take all the precautions in the world but none of man's best intentions can over-ride the instinctive nature of wildlife. How many birds fly into reflective glass and lit up buildings every year?
Woof!
May 1st, 2008, 09:37 AM
I was livid about this yesterday, but, I did find this statement from Stelmach... "Thirty years ago, Syncrude pioneered the bird diversion strategy, the research. And for 30 years, things went well. One year, we have one incident and this is what's being used by (the Alberta Liberal party) to not only damage the reputation of the department of the environment, but of a company and also this legislature."... kind of put it into a bit of perspective.
I was livid about this yesterday, but, I did find this statement from Stelmach... "Thirty years ago, Syncrude pioneered the bird diversion strategy, the research. And for 30 years, things went well. One year, we have one incident and this is what's being used by (the Alberta Liberal party) to not only damage the reputation of the department of the environment, but of a company and also this legislature."... kind of put it into a bit of perspective.
Clever Clogs
Posts: 709
Location: Ardrossan, Alberta
Location: Ardrossan, Alberta
May 1st, 2008, 10:19 PM
I worked at Syncrude on and off since 1976- of all the companies up there they are the most concientious about their rep- in all those years I have never heard or seen anything like this. when we were doing an expansion somebody spilled some glycol (about 20 gallons) work was stopped and roped off and the environmental team was brought in to clean it up right away. They are not the monsters everybody makes them out to be. But that being said there are a lot of companies that will try to sweep it under the rug so to speak, the one Company up there I don't trust is CNRL they use the cheapest materials and don't put a lot of thought into the environment. as far as 500 ducks I imagine there are just as many moose and deer that get killed fron h2s poisoning as a result of getting too close to conventional well heads- but you never hear about that.
I worked at Syncrude on and off since 1976- of all the companies up there they are the most concientious about their rep- in all those years I have never heard or seen anything like this. when we were doing an expansion somebody spilled some glycol (about 20 gallons) work was stopped and roped off and the environmental team was brought in to clean it up right away. They are not the monsters everybody makes them out to be. But that being said there are a lot of companies that will try to sweep it under the rug so to speak, the one Company up there I don't trust is CNRL they use the cheapest materials and don't put a lot of thought into the environment. as far as 500 ducks I imagine there are just as many moose and deer that get killed fron h2s poisoning as a result of getting too close to conventional well heads- but you never hear about that.
Knows Too Much
Posts: 2,100
Location: Backwater, Ontario.
Location: Backwater, Ontario.
May 1st, 2008, 10:35 PM
Yes, Karrie, it's too bad. Although difficult to believe, politicians have been known to use spin to further their own agendas.
...............(S)
Quoting karrie
____________________________
I was livid about this yesterday, but, I did find this statement from Stelmach... "Thirty years ago, Syncrude pioneered the bird diversion strategy, the research. And for 30 years, things went well. One year, we have one incident and this is what's being used by (the Alberta Liberal party) to not only damage the reputation of the department of the environment, but of a company and also this legislature."... kind of put it into a bit of perspective.
Yes, Karrie, it's too bad. Although difficult to believe, politicians have been known to use spin to further their own agendas.
...............(S) Knows Too Much
Posts: 2,100
Location: Backwater, Ontario.
Location: Backwater, Ontario.
May 1st, 2008, 10:37 PM
Or just enable INCO and Falconbridge to share the "wealth"
Quite a joke.
(on us)
Quoting lone wolf
Didn't that giant stack clear all that up, Wolf?
Gee - here, all we have to worry about is sulphur dioxide emissions from the smelters endangering human lives....
Woof!
Woof!
Or just enable INCO and Falconbridge to share the "wealth"Quite a joke.
(on us)
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,515
Location: In the bush somewhere near Sudbury
Location: In the bush somewhere near Sudbury
May 1st, 2008, 10:55 PM
Woof!
Quoting Nuggler
Ah, it doesn't look so much like the moon up here now, but with a good breeze from the west, we still catch the occasional whiff of Hell....
Didn't that giant stack clear all that up, Wolf? Or just enable INCO and Falconbridge to share the "wealth"
Quite a joke.
(on us)
Or just enable INCO and Falconbridge to share the "wealth"Quite a joke.
(on us)
Woof!
Member
Posts: 85
Location: Calgary
Location: Calgary
May 2nd, 2008, 12:21 AM
The word on CBC Radio One's Eye Opener (the Calgary morning show) was that the government will take this very seriously and will likely impose the largest fine possible to:
1) send a message to the companies up there that this kind of thing will not be tolerated.
2) send a message to people outside Alberta that this kind of thing won't be tolerated.
They said on the radio that the maximum fine would be $25 million, but that conflicts with what the Sun wrote.
In happier environmental news:
Link
The word on CBC Radio One's Eye Opener (the Calgary morning show) was that the government will take this very seriously and will likely impose the largest fine possible to:
1) send a message to the companies up there that this kind of thing will not be tolerated.
2) send a message to people outside Alberta that this kind of thing won't be tolerated.
They said on the radio that the maximum fine would be $25 million, but that conflicts with what the Sun wrote.
In happier environmental news:
Quote:
For the first time in North America, oil sands facilities, coal-fired power plants and others met a requirement to reduce the intensity of their greenhouse gas emissions by 12 per cent. Companies had until March 31, 2008, to comply with the Alberta law, which came into effect July 1, 2007.
Quote:
Alberta gave companies three options for meeting the reduction: improve the energy efficiency of their operations, buy carbon credits in the Alberta-based offset system or pay $15 into the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund for every tonne over their reduction target. Facilities could also choose a combination of the options.
Quote:
That might not be much but we were the first jurisdiction in Canada (and North America I believe) that legislated cuts to emissions, so it is at least a start.
Preliminary results indicate companies made 2.6 million tonnes of actual reductions through operational changes and practices - including better use and re-use of energy - and investing in verified offsets created by other Alberta projects. The reduction is equivalent to taking 550,000 vehicles off the road in a year.
Link
