Oilsands opponents emerge
Group seeks exploration permit freeze; Environmental assessment needed during exploration phase, society says
Cassandra Kyle, The StarPhoenix
Published: Wednesday, April 02, 2008
A Saskatchewan environmental group has asked the provincial government to freeze oilsands exploration permits until a regional environmental assessment is completed in northwest Saskatchewan.
Concerned about the long-lasting effect of exploration work around the province's oilsands deposit -- which can involve seismic line-cutting, exploratory drilling and the release of greenhouse gases from motorized vehicles and machinery -- the Saskatchewan Environmental Society sent a letter to Environment Minister Nancy Heppner on March 18 outlining its concerns.
Society program co-ordinator Ann Coxworth said the group is worried for the future of wildlife and watersheds in the area.
"It seems to us clear that they should not be allowing the kind of exploratory work that's going on there already without doing an assessment of the capacity of that landscape to absorb that kind of impact," Coxworth said in an interview.
The government believes an environmental assessment isn't necessary at this time, said Nancy Cherney, director of the lands branch with the Ministry of Environment. If or when oilsands exploration in the area moves from preliminary work to more advanced stages, the government will require an assessment before granting any development proposals, she said.
"As the activity moves from exploration to something maybe different we will certainly look at an environmental impact assessment being required before any actual development would be approved," Cherney said.
Companies need access to Saskatchewan land to determine if there are resources in the area, she said, adding a number of controls in the form of standards and conditions are put in place before and during exploration. On-site monitors report back to the provincial government a minimum of twice per week when work is taking place on Saskatchewan land, she said.
"We want to facilitate opportunities and look towards the advantages we have with the resources and natural wealth that this province has that can provide to our people and to Saskatchewan overall," Cherney said.
"We want to support that in balance with making sure that we have a safe, healthy, sustainable environment. The conditions and standards we apply to these activities keep that balance in mind."
Most oilsands exploration work in Saskatchewan is being done by Calgary-based Oilsands Quest Inc., which is focusing on its Axe Lake discovery near the Alberta border. Oilsands Quest holds 448,283 hectares of land in Saskatchewan, according to the company's website.
The society believes the remote location of the exploration area is no reason to ignore the challenges it creates for the natural environment.
"If that (exploration work) was happening just outside of Saskatoon, they would not get away with doing it without a full environmental impact study," Coxworth said.
"It's an area where there are not many people watching what's going on and the reality is the people up there are anxious to have some economic development. What I think we have to be really careful of is in providing that economic development, we don't destroy the base of their livelihood."
The society worries about damage to the Clearwater, Descharmes, Firebag and Richardson rivers, as well as wildlife affected by the cutting of trails through the forest. Coxworth said when an intact forest becomes divided by trails, it becomes a barrier to wildlife feeding and migration.
Seeing the damage caused by oilsands development in Alberta should be cause enough to implement more controls around exploration and development in Saskatchewan, she said, adding damage caused today will be small in comparison to what will come down the road with production.
"The Alberta oilsands have been described as the most environmentally destructive project on the planet. We certainly don't want to duplicate here the kind of development that has taken place in the Fort McMurray area," she said. "If it does get to the commercial level then we have some really big concerns."
The Oilsands Quest project is causing little damage to northwestern Saskatchewan, Cherney said.
"In this particular case, the majority of the work that they're undertaking -- the seismic and the well-site drilling or sample drilling -- is occurring within an area that burned in a forest fire. So the ecological impact that would be directly attributable to this work would be very minimal," she said. "We don't see the impact there to be long-lasting or significant at this point."
A spokesperson for Oilsands Quest was unable to comment Tuesday.
Coxworth said the society hopes the government recognizes the request, places a moratorium on further permits and takes on the environmental assessment. The assessment, she said, would cause a delay in the advancement of oilsands exploration and development in Saskatchewan.
"I think it would probably set things back for probably two to three years, and then, depending on the results of the study, it would probably change the pace at which development would take place," she said.
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2008
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