Scientists doubt fix to wetlands damaged by oil sands

[polly7]

Scientists doubt fix to wetlands damaged by oil sands

Andrew Nikiforuk, The Tyee

http://www.energybulletin.net/

Contrary to industry and government views, the oil sands industry won't be able to restore valuable wetlands or replace their multi-billion dollar biological services, according to a new study by some of Canada's foremost scientists.

No compensation policy

Under Alberta law, oil sand companies only have to replace mined out boreal wetlands with something called "equivalent land capability." It has no legal definition.

Unlike most developed countries, Alberta does not require mining companies to pay for the wetlands they destroy by contributing to a special bank that funds wetland restoration somewhere else.

Alberta, which has lost 60 per cent of its wetlands in the southern half of the province (that's analogous to an individual losing 60 per cent of their kidney function, says Bayley), currently has no provincial wetland policy. Nor does it have a proper inventory. As a consequence, there is no program to compensate for wetland losses in the oil sands.