In Context: 5 Web Perspectives On A Story In The News

Oil sands toxic runoff not monitored

(CBC) The Canadian auditor general's office released a damning report on Environment Canada's monitoring of industrial pollutants from the oil sands project into the Athabasca River. Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan's report had scathing criticisms on the federal government's water quality monitoring system. He revealed that the environment department's lab has never monitored for the deadly chemicals from the oil extraction process. Instead, it monitors only for pollutants from the pulp and paper industry.

1.

Environment Commissioner's report

Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughn's report on the government's water monitoring system in Northern Alberta. He says "there may be significant risks to the quality and quantity of fresh water that have not been assessed and are not being monitored in areas of federal jurisdiction." One lab has monitored water pollutants in the Athabasca River since 1989, but it has never looked for pollutant byproducts from the oil and gas industry.

2.

Greenpeace people power

Greenpeace Canada
Greenpeace is an outspoken critic of the oil sands. On its website, people are encouraged to write letters to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Alberta Premier Ed Stemach. The site also describes in detail some of the ways that the oil sands threaten water in northern Alberta. It says tailing ponds are one of the worst contributors of toxic pollutants into the watershed.

3.

Industry data, still damning

Environmental Defence
Environmental Defence is a Canadian organization that says it seeks to, "challenge, and inspire change in government, business and people to ensure a greener, healthier and prosperous life for all." Its report, 11 million litres a day: the tar sands' leaking legacy examines the impact of leaks from tailing ponds in northern Alberta. The report uses industry-gathered data and includes comments from oil company executives. The head of Shell is quoted, saying damage done by the oil industry "will be long term and irreversible."

4.

It's not me, it's you

Syncrude’s sustainability report 2008-09
Syncrude Canada is one of the biggest oil companies that operates in northern Alberta. It recently came under fire when thousands of ducks landed into one of its tailing ponds. The Alberta government fined it $3 million, a record amount for an environmental infraction. Synrude's sustainability report says it funds a water monitoring system downstream from its tailing ponds, but doesn't mention what that monitoring system has found. The report also says that many of the public's environmental expectations are out of line with what is economically feasible for Syncrude.

5.

Brains weigh in

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
PNAS is a highly cited science academic journal that has published since 1914. This article examines the levels of toxic metals in the Athabasca River. In 2008, researchers monitored 13 elements that are considered toxic by the Canadian government. Samples were taken year-round and at varying distances from the oil sands project. The study found that these elements are in higher concentrations close to the project, while normal levels were found up river. Oil companies have long claimed that these metals are naturally found in the Athabasca River at higher concentrations.