1. Proposed amendments remove protection of Canada's small waterways

In the 2009 budget, Budget Implementation Act, 2009, tabled February 6, 2009 in the House of Commons, the Conservative government announced proposed amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA), an Act dating back to 1882 to protect the public right to navigate Canadian waterways by vessel. Although the government claims these amendments, as well as forthcoming amendments to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), will help stimulate the economy, the Conservative government has been discussing these changes since they have been in power.

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2. New draft requirements for oil and gas development within or near water bodies

The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) is inviting public feedback until March 20, 2009, on a draft directive that outlines requirements for oil and gas development within or near water bodies. The directive is meant to address recurrent concerns about oil and gas development near water bodies. It aims to provide a consistent methodology to delineate water bodies on proposed sites and assess site sensitivities from new and existing oil and gas developments within 100 metres of a water body. This draft directive is a significant improvement on the existing Directive 56. Yet, gaps remain for addressing how oil and gas development affect water bodies in Alberta.

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3. Heating up in Alberta: new report on Alberta energy production and water use

A new report, released in early February, focuses on Alberta's troublesome relationship with water and energy. Heating Up in Alberta: Climate Change, Energy Development and Water is the Pembina Institute's newest report authored by Mary Griffiths and Dan Woynillowicz.

While many criticisms of Alberta's energy production and use have focused on greenhouse gas emissions, this report places water as the central issue. The report points out that as population grows so does demand for electricity, and as energy demand increases so too does water use both to produce electricity and to develop Alberta's oil and gas reserves, particularly to get oil from oil sands. In some watersheds, such as the North Saskatchewan and the Athabasca watersheds, energy production -- largely to extract and upgrade bitumen from oil sands but also as cooling water for thermal power generation -- accounts for at least half of the water consumed.

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4. ERCB and Alberta Environment are seeking input on Draft Directive: Requirements for Water Measurement, Reporting, and Use for Thermal In Situ Oil Sands Schemes

Thermal in situ oil sands operations use steam to soften underground oil sands and bring bitumen deposits to the surface. The public is invited to comment on newly proposed rules for thermal water use for thermal in situ oil sands recovery by no later than April 1, 2009. On February 18, 2009 Alberta Environment and the Energy Resources and Conservation Board (ERCB) proposed new rules designed to limit freshwater use by thermal in situ oil sands operations that will largely affect groundwater use. If approved after a public comment period, the regulations would set a water recycle formula while minimizing freshwater use. The directive would also set more firm criteria for reporting fresh, saline, and recycled water use and establish enhanced monitoring and reporting requirements affecting in situ operations in the Beaver, Athabasca, and Peace River basins.

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5. Blue Gold: World Water Wars - Film Premiere on World Water Day

Celebrate World Water Day with us! This Arusha Action Event, co-sponsored by Water Matters, Calgary Dollars, Council of Canadians, and Public Interest Alberta, will be showing Blue Gold: World Water Wars on World Water Day. The event will also feature a live satellite link to the World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey, an international gathering happening from March 16 to 22 that focuses on resolving global water issues.

March 22, 2009 at noon

Plaza Theatre, 1133 Kensington Rd. NW, Calgary

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6. March 5th Public Event: Gutting the Navigable Waters Act: What it means for our rivers

Proposed amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) threaten the longstanding public right to navigation, including the right to recreational navigation. If the Budget Implementation Act is passed, these changes will grant the Transport Minister an unprecedented discretion to define "classes" of projects on waterways that do not require government approval or environmental assessment (EA). To learn more, attend this free public session.

Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 pm

455 - 12th St. NW Calgary, Alberta

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