Some days are better than others. .Monday wasn’t a good one for Alberta Energy Regulator boss Laurie Pushor who was grilled in Ottawa over tailings ponds pollution at Imperial Oil’s Kearl oil sands mine..Then, as if to add insult to injury, Suncor Energy reported it found 43 dead birds, two muskrats, a bat and a vole at one of its own tailings ponds in Fort McMurray.. AER CEO Laurie PushorAER CEO Laurie Pushor .On Saturday the AER said it dispatched an investigator to gather and review information, gain situational awareness, and assess the existing mitigations and hazing systems in the area, which were reportedly operating at the time, as per Suncor..The AER said it continues to work with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and Environment and Climate Change Canada to ensure that all safety, wildlife, and environmental requirements are met during the response to the incident. .“The inspector will ensure mitigation strategies are in place and actioned appropriately by Suncor,” it said..Back in Ottawa, Pushor was offering the usual apologizes even as he was accused of stonewalling under oath at the House of Commons Environment Committee hearings into the Kearl leak..“It is clear neither Imperial nor the AER met community expectations to ensure they are fully aware of what is and was happening, and for that I am truly sorry,” he said in opening remarks..But that wasn’t enough for Strathcona NDP MP Heather McPherson who accused Pushor of “extreme contempt” for refusing to answer her questions about the incident and deferring to ongoing investigations.. Oil sands tailingsOil sands tailings .In response, she issued a statement she intends to raise a point of privilege in the House “to compel the AER to provide clarity” about the ongoing seepage and spill..In response, AER released a bizarre statement on its website in response to the release of the film How to Blow Up a Pipeline on the weekend. Based on the book of the same name, the film promotes taking violent action against oil and gas infrastructure, particularly pipelines..“The release of this movie should not be taken lightly. Provincial and federal agencies across North America are preparing for scenarios where activists, inspired by the film, may turn to sabotage to get their message across, putting themselves, their communities, and industry in danger,” it said.. How to Blow Up a PipelineHow to Blow Up a Pipeline .It was a double — no triple — blow for Alberta’s oil sands industry as it struggles to convince the rest of the country, and indeed the world, it can produce oil sands crude in a responsible manner..Almost by happenstance, Suncor was also one of several litigants — including ExxonMobil and Chevron — that lost a US Supreme Court ruling to move climate change lawsuits filed by local governments out of state courts..Suncor, along with Exxon and Chevron, are being sued by Boulder County, the City of Boulder and San Miguel County who insist the oil companies should be held accountable for the cost of climate related disasters. Although it seems coincidental, the cases were filed in 2018..Similar suits are being filed in Maryland, California, Hawaii and Rhode Island. Suncor declined to comment on the suit but an ExxonMobil spokesman told Colorado Public Radio the law suits “are a waste of time and resources and do nothing to address climate change.”
Some days are better than others. .Monday wasn’t a good one for Alberta Energy Regulator boss Laurie Pushor who was grilled in Ottawa over tailings ponds pollution at Imperial Oil’s Kearl oil sands mine..Then, as if to add insult to injury, Suncor Energy reported it found 43 dead birds, two muskrats, a bat and a vole at one of its own tailings ponds in Fort McMurray.. AER CEO Laurie PushorAER CEO Laurie Pushor .On Saturday the AER said it dispatched an investigator to gather and review information, gain situational awareness, and assess the existing mitigations and hazing systems in the area, which were reportedly operating at the time, as per Suncor..The AER said it continues to work with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and Environment and Climate Change Canada to ensure that all safety, wildlife, and environmental requirements are met during the response to the incident. .“The inspector will ensure mitigation strategies are in place and actioned appropriately by Suncor,” it said..Back in Ottawa, Pushor was offering the usual apologizes even as he was accused of stonewalling under oath at the House of Commons Environment Committee hearings into the Kearl leak..“It is clear neither Imperial nor the AER met community expectations to ensure they are fully aware of what is and was happening, and for that I am truly sorry,” he said in opening remarks..But that wasn’t enough for Strathcona NDP MP Heather McPherson who accused Pushor of “extreme contempt” for refusing to answer her questions about the incident and deferring to ongoing investigations.. Oil sands tailingsOil sands tailings .In response, she issued a statement she intends to raise a point of privilege in the House “to compel the AER to provide clarity” about the ongoing seepage and spill..In response, AER released a bizarre statement on its website in response to the release of the film How to Blow Up a Pipeline on the weekend. Based on the book of the same name, the film promotes taking violent action against oil and gas infrastructure, particularly pipelines..“The release of this movie should not be taken lightly. Provincial and federal agencies across North America are preparing for scenarios where activists, inspired by the film, may turn to sabotage to get their message across, putting themselves, their communities, and industry in danger,” it said.. How to Blow Up a PipelineHow to Blow Up a Pipeline .It was a double — no triple — blow for Alberta’s oil sands industry as it struggles to convince the rest of the country, and indeed the world, it can produce oil sands crude in a responsible manner..Almost by happenstance, Suncor was also one of several litigants — including ExxonMobil and Chevron — that lost a US Supreme Court ruling to move climate change lawsuits filed by local governments out of state courts..Suncor, along with Exxon and Chevron, are being sued by Boulder County, the City of Boulder and San Miguel County who insist the oil companies should be held accountable for the cost of climate related disasters. Although it seems coincidental, the cases were filed in 2018..Similar suits are being filed in Maryland, California, Hawaii and Rhode Island. Suncor declined to comment on the suit but an ExxonMobil spokesman told Colorado Public Radio the law suits “are a waste of time and resources and do nothing to address climate change.”
