Last Call for Input: What you can do to support clean, abundant water in the oil sands region

Your input is needed for the last round of input into the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP) that will determine how oil sands develop and the degree to which freshwater systems in the region are protected.

In September, 2010, many of you highlighted the need to provide greater protection of our freshwaters. Out of 813 workbooks filled out by Albertans, 456 strongly agreed for the need of strong thresholds and triggers to limit impacts of development on freshwaters (see Lower Athabasca Regional Plan Phase 2 Public Consultation Summary ), and protection of the Clearwater River was repeatedly emphasized (see Nexen’s “bait and switch” means trouble for the Clearwater).

You can provide your feedback online HERE.

Complete plan details are available at http://www.landuse.alberta.ca/RegionalPlans/LowerAthabasca/Default.aspx

POSITIVES OF THE DRAFT PLAN

The new draft plan does try to set targets and limits for water pollution, and the Clearwater River is listed as a new protected area.

PROBLEMS WITH THE DRAFT PLAN

Unfortunately, the draft plan inadequately protect lakes, rivers, and groundwater for future generations (see Water Matters calls for independent scientists to review draft plans governing oil sands). The draft plan continues to promote reactionary management, rather than adopting precautionary, effects-based planning and limits. For example, the draft plan relies merely upon guidelines for concentrations of chemicals rather than an understanding of their fate and impacts on aquatic ecosystems and people. The draft plan also fails to assess the groundwater dynamics, providing no backstop where negative impacts are detected on groundwater withdrawals.

LET THEM HEAR IT AGAIN: FIVE MESSAGES TO PROTECT WATER

1) Keep Rivers and Albertans Healthy—the Lower Athabasca River needs an absolute cut-off on major extractions for oil sands developments, and monitoring should look at impacts of development to aquatic ecosystem health.
Oil sand development should not risk the health of Albertans. The Lower Athabasca River needs absolute cut-offs for industry when the health of the Athabasca River is threatened. Simply monitoring flow or concentrations of some pollutants and setting limits and triggers for action provides no information about the impact low flow or pollution has on that the Lower Athabasca River or those who depend upon its health for their well-being. We need a monitoring system that assesses impacts of large-scale water extraction, land disturbance, and pollution release and deposition.
See Water Matters’ Report on Effective Environmental Monitoring Systems

2) Groundwater—Map and measure how much groundwater can be safely withdrawn without risking the integrity of freshwater aquifers or health of our rivers and lakes.
The state of groundwater in most of Alberta is poorly understood, and in particular in the oil sands region. The draft Groundwater Management Framework does not consider how much groundwater can be sustainably withdrawn, or how groundwater interacts with rivers and lakes, which are largely unknown. Groundwater flows, supplies, and quality need to measured and mapped, to determine how much water can be safely withdrawn.
See Pembina’s Report Solving the puzzle: environmental responsibility in oilsands development

3) Riparian Areas or River Corridors—Stop the disappearing act.
Approximately 80% of Alberta's wildlife relies on river corridors formed by the strips of land on either side of a river or creek ("riparian areas") that act as buffer zones between a river and the surrounding landscapes. These riparian areas help maintain water quality, prevent erosion, maintain shorelines, and recharge groundwater. In the most recent Government of Alberta public survey, riparian areas were recognized for their ecological value to healthy rivers and for their cultural and economic significance. The need for protection of riparian zones is not acknowledged or considered in the draft plan. The riparian areas along the entire length of the Lower Athabasca deserve full protection, to ensure maintenance of the river in a healthy state.

4) Wetlands — Support a "no-net-loss" principle, in which those who destroy wetlands must pay to replace them.
In addition to their value as ecosystems on their own, healthy wetlands store, purify, and filter water, reduce the likelihood of extreme flooding and drying events in streams and rivers. Wetlands in the Lower Athabasca basin should be protected with a "no-net-loss" policy that holds oil sands companies who destroy wetlands accountable for fully restoring them or replacing them with wetlands of equivalent ecological structure and function. Alberta’s Interim 1993 Wetlands Policy is based on a no-net-loss approach. Because the draft plan is not, it means Alberta is stepping away from protecting wetlands, rather than improving wetland management in the face of mounting pressure on wetlands across the province.
For more information please see: Ducks Unlimited or our wetlands blog post.

5) Protect the Best of Alberta - 50% of the Lower Athabasca needs permanent legal protection to protect of groundwater, forests, and wildlife.
Protecting 50% of the Lower Athabasca River basin will ensure the region’s healthy rivers, lakes, forest and wildlife are sustained for the benefit and enjoyment of all Albertans. This 50% can be conserved without severely limiting oil sands production. To protect species like the endangered Boreal Caribou, these protected areas need to be large (4,000-5,000 km2), need to represent all the ecosystem types that exist in the area, and need be connected to each other and Wood Buffalo National Park.

In the North, Albertan is endowed with amazing ecological diversity in ecosystem types, plants, and wildlife. For Albertans to be able to continue to benefit from and enjoy our northern regions, this diversity needs long-term, legal protection.  Because approximately 15-25% of the waters that make up the Athabasca River comes from the groundwater1, protecting 50% of the Lower Athabasca will not only protect ecosystems and wildlife habitat but also key groundwater recharge areas that sustain the river itself.  For more information please visit: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Northern Alberta Chapter.

Again, You can provide your feedback online HERE.