First Nation says six sites at oilsands project leaking bitumen, up from four

[Joe Shlabotnik]

COLD LAKE, Alta. — A First Nation says two more locations at an oilsands project in northeastern Alberta are seeping oily bitumen, bringing the total to six.

Chief Bernice Martial says she is worried about how such leaks are affecting the aquifers underneath the land.

Martial says she is worried about the safety of drinking water, animals and vegetation.

In July, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. said a mechanical failure at an old well was behind ongoing bitumen seepage at its oilsands project on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range.

“Our people want answers and factual information on the contamination of now, six surface releases of bitumen oil”

http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/energy-resources/First+Nation+says+sites+oilsands+project/8917941/story.html?__lsa=3b61-3cb6 (very short article)

[glinda]

1. K & R n/t

[Little Star]

2. Damn.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. I have a friend who works at the Alberta Tar Sands.

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When I asked him how much it paid, he told me the money was real good;

"but it sure makes a mess of the land"

No Shit!

(sigh)

CC

[OnlinePoker]

4. I contacted the Alberta Government earlier in the year to get info on reclamation efforts

I got links to the following data sets:

http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/OSIPDL/Dataset/Details/27
http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/OSIPDL/Dataset/Details/29

If you go to the bottom of each page, you can download the data or open an abbreviated view. Basically, what it says is that they have disturbed 84,395 acres and have certified only 104 acres as reclaimed (with another 5042 acres permanently reclaimed but not yet certified). Fixing this mess will take centuries at this rate.