Suncor to be investigated after useless animals discovered at mine website
The Alberta Vitality Regulator says it’s investigating after Suncor reported the invention of dozens of useless birds at an oilsands tailings pond.
The regulator mentioned in a submit on its web site Saturday that Suncor knowledgeable them late Friday afternoon of 32 useless waterfowl discovered at a tailings pond 29 km north of Fort McMurray at Suncor’s Base Mine Website.
The submit mentioned the vitality firm discovered the birds throughout an oilsands bird-contact monitoring program survey.
It famous that “the state of the wildlife signifies that this might not be a current occasion, however that is underneath evaluate.”
The submit mentioned Suncor has since suggested it’s additionally discovered a muskrat and a vole, each useless.
The regulator mentioned an AER inspector “was instantly on website” and, along with checking chicken deterrence methods, the inspector will “guarantee mitigation methods are in place.”
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“Collaboration between the AER, Suncor, Alberta Surroundings and Parks, and Surroundings Canada and Local weather Change is underway to make sure that all security, wildlife, and environmental necessities are met through the response to the incident,” the AER submit acknowledged.
“We are going to proceed to evaluate the scenario intently and supply additional updates as required.”
Suncor spokeswoman Erin Rees mentioned in an electronic mail the birds have been discovered throughout one of many firm’s “common, required checks.” She mentioned applicable regulatory authorities have been notified.
“On the time of discovery, all chicken deterrent methods at Base Plant have been lively. Our Hen Deterrent Program contains canons, radar and effigies. We now have initiated an investigation,” Rees mentioned.
Incidents of chicken deaths at oilsands tailings ponds over time embody 50 birds that landed at an Imperial Oil tailings space close to its Kearl oilsands undertaking in northern Alberta in Might 2020. Imperial mentioned on the time it believed it occurred despite deterrents as a result of many of the pure water our bodies within the space have been nonetheless frozen.
Learn extra:
Imperial CEO hears influence of Kearl oilsands leaks, apologizes for silence: ‘We now have damaged this belief’
In January 2019, Syncrude was fined greater than $2.7 million after pleading responsible to environmental costs within the deaths of 31 nice blue herons at one among its oilsands mines north of Fort McMurray in 2015.
Syncrude was additionally fined $3 million in 2010 after greater than 1,600 geese died after they landed on a tailings pond in 2008.
Earlier this week, Suncor Vitality Inc. reported the discharge of six million litres of water from a pond at its Fort Hills oilsands mine north of Fort McMurray that exceeded tips for sediment.
Suncor mentioned it has stopped outflow from the pond and is finding out the reason for the issue and the way it affected water high quality.
Well timed notification of water releases from oilsands mines additionally turned a problem earlier this spring.
Final Might, Imperial Oil observed discoloured water seeping from one among its tailings ponds that turned out to be groundwater contaminated by waste, however neither First Nations nor governments have been notified about the issue till February after a second launch from a catchment pond.
Three inquiries have since been known as into that nine-month silence.
As of 4:51 pm on April 22, Suncor accomplished a sweep of a tailings pond 28 km north of Fort McMurray the place deceased wildlife have been reported late on April 21. Authentic stories accounted for 32 birds. On the completion of as we speak’s sweep, a complete of 43 birds have been counted, in addition to two muskrats, one bat and one vole.
The AER continues to work with Suncor to handle the incident.
We additionally proceed to work with Alberta Surroundings and Protected Areas and Surroundings and Local weather Change Canada to make sure that all security, wildlife, and environmental necessities are met through the response to the incident.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
