Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
An Information Service for Alberta’s Environment Industry The Week Ending April 17th, 2015
U
Inside this Issue:
Edmonton’s Air Quality Worse than Toronto’s
Alberta Sees Huge Spike in Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells
NEB Spill Map Takes a Step Toward Pipeline Transparency
Nearly 3 Million Gallons of Drilling Waste Spill from North Dakota Pipeline
Upcoming Events and much more ….
U
The ESAA Weekly News is published
weekly by:
Environmental Services Association of Alberta
102, 2528 Ellwood Drive SW
Edmonton, AB T6X 0A9 (P) 780.429.6363 (F) 780.429.4249
[email protected] UTTTH T HTTTUwww.esaa.orgUTTH T
Comments & submissions are welcome!
Please submit your announcement via e-mail to:
[email protected] UTTTH T
...environmental integrity through
innovative business solutions
REMTECH 2015 SPONSORSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available for RemTech 2015. The following opportunities remain available and are an excellent opportunity to showcase and profile your organization during RemTech 2015.
Phototainment/Green Screen - 1
Available - $3,000
The theme at the Opening Reception is Pirates of the RemTech (a spoof on Pirates of the Caribbean!). A company out of Banff will be providing a Pirate themed “green screen” for the delegates to have their pictures taken in front of. Everyone who has their picture taken will receive an actual photograph to take with them and each picture would have your logo on it.
Silver Level Sponsorship Recognition (see below) Opening Keynote Breakfast - 1 Available - $2,500
Logo on Website, Signage, Program, App
Company Profile in Printed Program, App
1/3 Page Ad in Printed Program Massage chairs - 1 Available - $3,000
Bronze Level Sponsorship Recognition (see below)
Complimentary Delegate Pass
Marketing material in our brochure stands
Massage Chairs will be operational starting at Thursday morning coffee, through to the end of the Friday morning networking break
Silver Sponsorship - 2 Available - $3,000
Delegate Pass
Logo on Website, Signage, Program, App
Company Profile in Printed Program, App
1/2 Page Ad in Printed Program Bronze Sponsorship - 2 Available - $1,400
Logo on Website, Signage, Program, App
Company Profile in Printed Program, App
1/3 Page Ad in Printed Program For further details, or to sign up as a sponsors, contact: Lorrine Hamdon at [email protected] To see the complete list of current sponsors, visit: http://www.esaa-events.com/remtech/sponsors.htm
Thank you for your support!
AN EVENING WITH DR. JANE GOODALL, DBE
presented by
Environmental Services Association of Alberta (ESAA)
Wednesday, September 9th, 2015 Winspear Centre, Edmonton
Tickets On-Sale Now: Winspear Box Office
Tickets and Sponsorship Opportunities Still Available
The Environmental Services of Association of Alberta (ESAA) is pleased to announce An Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE in support of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada (JGI Canada) and the Ilsa Mae Research Fund at Muscular Dystrophy Canada. Full proceeds from the event will be split between JGI Canada and the Ilsa Mae Research Fund. ESAA is making no proceeds from this event and donating all time and efforts to both causes. The event will include a presentation by Dr. Jane Goodall, followed by a Q & A session with the audience, and a book signing in the Winspear Lobby. Ticket are now on sale at start at $41 (incl. GST). Tickets can be purchased directly from the Winspear Box Office. A limited number of VIP Tickets will also be available and will include a private meet and greet with Dr. Goodall and wine & cheese reception. Thank you to all of our current sponsors and supporters: Paragon Soil and Environmental Consulting (VIP Reception), AGAT Laboratories (Event Sponsor), CERF Corp. (Event Sponsor), MCL Waste Systems and Environmental (Event Sponsor), Audrey's Book (Official Book Seller), Capital Colour (Printing/Programs), Fairmont Hotel MacDonald (Official Hotel), Fred Keating (Emcee), FrischkornMEDIACO (AV), Dale Ladouceur and Bev Fowler (Pre-Show Music) Sponsorship Opportunities Available: A limited number of sponsorship opportunities remain for this incredible evening. Your company name, logo and profile will be in front of 1,700 people. Main Event Sponsor – $10,000 (One Available)
Acknowledged on all material as ESAA’s partner in presenting Dr. Jane Goodall (including front cover of program)
Acknowledged on Winspear Centre website (event information page)
Acknowledged on screen throughout event as ESAA’s partner in presenting Dr. Jane Goodall
4 passes to the VIP “Meet & Greet” Reception prior to the start of the event (includes VIP seating in Enmax Hall)
8 additional passes to the event
MC recognition throughout the evening
12 signed books by Dr. Goodall
Ability to have your picture taken with Dr. Goodall after the event
Logo and short profile in the program
Event Sponsor - $3,500 (Four Remaining)
Acknowledged on all material as an event sponsor
Acknowledged on screen as an event sponsor
4 passes to the event
MC recognition during event
4 signed books by Dr. Goodall
Logo and short profile in the program
For more information contact Lorrine Hamdon ([email protected]) or Joe Chowaniec ([email protected]) Full event details also available online at: http://www.esaa.org/events/#id=163&wid=401&cid=153 Tickets On-Sale Now: Winspear Box Office
EDMONTON’S AIR QUALITY IS OFTEN WORSE THAN TORONTO’S, WHICH HAS FIVE TIMES MORE PEOPLE (Source: Edmonton Journal) On bad days, Edmonton had higher levels of a harmful air pollutant than Toronto, a city with five times the population and more industry, says a new analysis from an advocacy group.
On some winter days, the level of fine particulate matter — invisible particles that cause serious heart and lung problems — was 25 per cent higher in Edmonton than levels in Toronto on that city’s worst air days a few years ago, said Dr. Joe Vipond, with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
The group used Alberta government figures, released in January, showing pollution from particulate matter exceeded legal limits of 30 micrograms per cubic metre at two city monitoring stations on several winter days in 2010 through 2012.
Toronto’s level of particulate matter pollution has steadily declined to just under 20 micrograms per cubic metre in 2013, well below Edmonton’s level, the study shows.
“That’s not what we expected to find, given how much bigger Toronto is,” Vipond said.
The closing of coal-fired electricity plants in that province has improved air quality, he said.
Edmonton needs to address this major health concern, he said. “There is no safe level of particulate matter for human health, but for some reason this issue is under the radar.”
Keith Kobylka/Edmonton Journal
The impact of Edmonton’s bad air days is felt quickly in city hospitals, said Dr. Brian Rowe, an emergency physician with a Canada research chair at the University of Alberta.
“After a couple of days of bad air quality, visits to the emergency rooms go up, we’ve seen it many times,” Rowe said.
“While we’re mostly concerned with respiratory disease, particulate matter also gets into the blood stream and causes inflammation, heart problems and can cause heart attacks.
“There is no safe level of exposure and we should be trying to reduce this pollutant as much as possible.”
Vipond said there are many sources contributing to the high levels of fine particulate matter in Edmonton, including a growing number of vehicles on the road that pump the pollutant directly into the air.
But the science also shows that emissions from coal-fired electricity plants west of the city are the major contributor as their emissions combine with other pollutants to form particulate matter, he said.
Alberta Environment’s website says fine particulates are tiny particles smaller than 2.5 microns. A strand of human hair is about 70 microns in width. Fine particulates in this size range are referred to as PM2.5.
“Edmonton’s PM2.5 problem is mainly due to secondary formation — chemical reactions in the atmosphere between pollutants, particularly from nitrates and, to a lesser extent, sulphates,” says the report from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
“The largest emitter of these pollutants in the capital region is the coal-fired electricity.”
It’s also possible the problem is getting worse as two older coal-fired electricity units were brought back on stream on 2013, Vipond said.
Air quality expert Andrew Read of the Pembina Institute, an environmental think-tank, said pollution from coal plants is a big factor, but not the only source of this pollution.
There’s some urgency to reduce those levels of particulate matter because the federal government is bringing in even tighter standards due to health concerns, Read said.
Next year the allowable limit for particulate matter will be reduced to 28 micrograms per cubic metre from 30 parts and reduced to 27 parts the following year. The province continues to investigate pollution sources. No action plan is ready.
ALBERTA SEES HUGE SPIKE IN ABANDONED OIL AND GAS WELLS Number of orphaned wells has quadrupled over the past year
It's no secret that Alberta's junior energy sector is struggling. Falling energy prices and tighter rules around the viability of oil and gas wells have meant many companies are abandoning their operations and turning their wells over to the province to be reclaimed.
In the past year, the number of so-called orphan wells has more than quadrupled from 162 to 702. At the current rate of reclamation, it will take 20 years to dismantle just this year's supply.
'Marginal companies that don't have the ability to clean up, and abandon a well after they've done operating it, shouldn't really be in the business.'— Barry Robinson, Eco-Justice
Orphan wells are not new to Alberta. They dot the landscape in the central and southern part of the province. Since 1994, the Alberta Energy Regulator has run a program to take over abandoned wells, pipelines and other facilities and reclaim them.
It's an expensive process, costing a minimum of $10,000 and millions in special cases. It also takes time. In the first 20 years of the program's operation, it reclaimed a total of 651 wells, around 30 a year.
In the past 12 months alone, 540 wells have been abandoned, almost as many as have been reclaimed in the past 21 years.
The number of abandoned wells like this one has soared in the past year. (Orphan Well Association)
Why the huge increase?
"I think some of that is the economic conditions, but there's also a structural shift going on in the industry," says Brad Herald, a director of the Orphan Well Association.
Herald says that the shift to more technical horizontal drilling in Alberta has made it harder for the juniors.
"There was a time when you could raise 10, 15, 20 million dollars and have a junior company in the shallow gas business. That's really not the case now, the cost of entry is much higher."
The Alberta Energy Regulator keeps a pretty close watch on the active oil and gas wells in the province. Every month it calculates the production value and the cost of abandoning and reclaiming each well.
If the production value is not higher than the abandonment costs, there's a problem, and the company has to put down a security deposit. This ratio is called the LLR, or the licensee liability rating, and as energy prices fall, it has become the bane of junior oil and gas producers in Alberta, who are often cash-strapped and struggle to make the payments.
Two years ago, the regulator increased its expected or deemed cost to reclaim a well, which threw many companies out of compliance.
That's probably for the best, according to Barry Robinson, a lawyer with Eco-Justice in Calgary.
"I think the [Alberta Energy Regulator] has set some more realistic security requirements. A lot of companies that aren't really financially viable were operating wells, and they didn't have the capability to clean up an abandoned well. Marginal companies that don't have the ability to clean up, and abandon a well after they've done operating it, shouldn't really be in the business."
The same well site shown in the preceding image appears here after being reclaimed. (Orphan Well Association)
Some of the wells could be sold
In the past 10 months, four companies: Tallgrass Energy, Winter Petroleum, Fairwest Energy and Stealth Ventures have turned over 100 or more wells each to the Orphan Well Association, raising questions about whether at least some of these wells could have been salvaged.
Andrew Basi is a partner at the accounting firm Grant Thornton who deals with corporate insolvency, and he feels that there's probably value in at least some of the wells that are being abandoned.
"We think it would be beneficial if there was a process in place where some of the productive wells that pay the government a royalty could be sold to solvent companies and those wells could continue into production," said Basi.
"And only those wells that have negative economics with them would be returned to the orphan well program."
Who will pay for the cleanup?
The Orphan Well Association is funded by the energy industry, except for a one-time cash injection of $30 million of provincial money a few years ago.
The association's budget has been doubled for this year to $30 million, which will help make a dent in the inventory of abandoned wells, but it will take more than one year of increased funding to deal with all 702 wells, along with hundreds of pipeline segments and other facilities.
"We have a rule of thumb on trying to retire them in a 10-year time frame," said Herald. "Will we see some elasticity in that? Potentially."
Herald said there are no plans to ask for public money to clear out the backlog and that the industry sees this as extraordinary circumstances, not the new normal.
TOXIC FUEL SPILL IN ENGLISH BAY IS WAKE-UP CALL FOR PORT, SAYS MARINE EXPERT Critics of pipeline expansion say response proves Vancouver isn't ready for heavy tanker traffic
(Source: CBC News) Joe Spears calls it a wake-up call. An international shipping expert, Spears says Canada is supposed to be a world leader at dealing with maritime emergencies.
But he says the response to an oil spill into Vancouver's English Bay on Thursday was anything but world class.
"We've got to do better," he said.
"We're Canada's largest port. We've lost our way."
Expansion fears
Spears joined a chorus of critics who said the spill reinforces fears about proposed pipeline expansion, which could bring increased oil tanker traffic into the B.C.'s coastal waters.
The City of Vancouver has repeatedly questioned the potential impact of a proposal by Kinder Morgan to twin the TransMountain pipeline that carries oil to Burrard Inlet.
And the province has set a "world-leading marine oil spill response" as one of five requirements for the approval of any heavy pipeline proposal.
But even as critics pointed to perceived problems, Coast guard assistant commissioner Roger Girouard claimed the response was textbook.
Opponents of the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion fear the plan will increase the chance of oil spills in Burrard Inlet. (Greg Rasmussen/CBC)
"From where I sit, from an operational perspective, this has gone in accordance with the doctrine," Girouard said.
"Port Metro is the largest port in Canada. They have a very solid team. They saw a problem, they called in the partners and we've put together a unified command centre to be able to take a look at this and do it the right way."
'More than words'
But Spears says responders should have tracked the movement of the spill with buoys and drones within minutes of becoming aware of oil on the water.
He also questions a perceived lack of communications that saw City of Vancouver officials alerted to the spill 13 hours after Port Metro Vancouver first learned about it at 5 p.m. PT Wednesday.
"To make a world-class response means more than words," said Spears.
"We've got to bring all the players together. This is a glimpse of the future. If we can't handle a small bunkering spill, how are we going to deal with a major tanker?"
Vancouver City Coun. Geoff Meggs raised similar concerns about the failure to notify the city immediately.
B.C. NDP MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, Official Opposition environment critic, says citizens were unaware of the dangers posed by the oil spill in English Bay. (CBC)
"What may seem like a small spill to an offshore mariner is very, very significant to the people of Vancouver. These are some of our most precious public assets," he said.
"So it's in that context that we probably need to have a further conversation, so that they understand what's important to us."
'It could have been better'
The NDP's Spencer Chandra Herbert, the Official Opposition's environment critic, said citizens should be part of that discussion.
The MLA for the Vancouver-West End/Coal Harbour represents a riding that sits directly in the path of the spill.
"People were out there last night, playing with their dogs, having fun in the water. Meanwhile, we were having bunker fuel oil — they still can't tell us what it is — in our water, potentially causing harm," he said.
"I think it's a huge wake-up call." Girouard acknowledged the public's concerns. "In an absolute sense, it could have been better," he said.
"One of the challenges with this many jurisdictions and partners is, 'Who's got what piece?', and it took us a little while to get through that."
ATTAWAPISKAT HOSPITAL FUEL SPILL CLEAN UP COULD TOP $2 M Workers removing contaminated soil since oil leaked into the crawlspace of hospital in November
(Source: CBC News) The cost of cleaning up a fuel spill could at the Attawapiskat hospital could top $2 million because of contamination that crews said are worse than expected.
Workers have been cleaning up and removing contaminated soil since heating oil leaked into the crawlspace of the building back in November. The hospital in the James Bay community has remained closed since.
When the spill happened in early December, Weeneebayko Health Authority CEO Robert Adolph said it was believed a pump failure caused 1,200 litres of fuel to leaked into the building.
Timmins-James Bay NDP MPP Gilles Bisson said there's no estimate yet for when the clean-up will finish and when the hospital will re-open. The provincial government, he added, continues to assist with remediation. It has so far provided about $1 million.
"The good news is, in discussion with the minister of health this week, he has reaffirmed his commitment to make sure that the province does what it has to do to make sure that this spill is cleaned," Bisson said.
In February, Bisson asked for additional funds to clean up the contaminated soil around the hospital.
In the meantime, nurses continue to provide emergency medical services at a temporary clinic in Attawapiskat's health centre.
HOW CANADA'S PROVINCES ARE TACKLING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS Emissions regulation is a mixed bag, with Ontario joining Quebec to adopt cap-and-trade system
(Source: CBC News) As Ontario prepares to join Quebec and California as the third jurisdiction in North America to adopt a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, we take a look at what other actions some of Canada's biggest emitters are taking to tackle greenhouse gases (GHG).
Canada
Emissions target: 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020
2012 emissions*:
Total: 699 Mt CO2 eq.
Per capita: 20.1 tonnes CO2 eq.
(Mt CO2 eq. is megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, the standard international unit of measurement for reporting GHG emissions. It expresses all greenhouse gases emissions in terms of the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, CO2. One megatonne is equal to one million tonnes.)
% change from 1990: +18 per cent
LEGISLATION
Coal — New restrictions on coal-fired power plants come into force July 1, 2015, limiting emissions to 420 tonnes of CO2 per gigawatt-hour of electricity produced per year. Most coal plants won't be subject to the limits until 2020, and some think the legislation won't start having a significant effect on emissions until 2030, which is when the oldest plants will come under the regulation.
Fuel — The transportation sector is the second-largest contributor to emissions, accounting for 25 per cent. Regulations passed in 2010 require an average of five per cent renewable content in gasoline and two per cent in diesel fuel and heating oil.
New fuel emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks were introduced last year to align with existing U.S. regulations. The government says these will ensure that by 2025, cars will use 50 per cent less fuel than 2008 models.
B.C.
Emissions target: 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020
2012 emissions:
Total: 60.1 Mt CO2 eq.**
Per capita: 13.2 tonnes CO2 eq.
% change from 1990: +21.7 per cent (6.5 per cent below 2007 levels)
% of Canada's total emissions: 8.6 per cent
LEGISLATION
Carbon tax — Introduced in 2008, the tax on fossil fuels now stands at $30/tonne of CO2 eq. and applies to gasoline, diesel, natural gas, heating fuel, propane and coal — and to peat and tires when used to produce energy. Revenue raised, which was $1.21 billion in fiscal year 2013/14, goes toward lowering other taxes. The tax covers about 70 per cent of B.C.'s emissions, and it's estimated it will reduce emissions by about three million tonnes annually by 2020.
Cap and trade — B.C. is a member of the Western Climate Initiative under which several U.S. states and four Canadian provinces have agreed to establish a regional cap-and-trade program and set a regional emissions-reduction target of 15 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020.
B.C. has the legislation in place to implement a cap-and-trade system, but the Liberal government of Christy Clark cancelled plans to launch the program in 2012. Only Quebec, California — and now Ontario — have moved forward.
Electricity — B.C.'s Clean Energy Act requires that 93 per cent of the province's electricity comes from clean or renewable sources and aims to make B.C. a net exporter of clean electricity. The province recently redefined natural gas as clean energy if it's used to power liquefied natural gas plants as part of its plans to expand the LNG sector.
Coal — B.C. has abandoned coal-fired electricity generation in favour of renewables but is still Canada's biggest exporter of coal. In 2014, it exported more then 28 million tonnes.
Fuel — B.C.'s Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements Regulation requires:
at least five per cent renewable content for gasoline and diesel;
10 per cent reduction in carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 2020. Carbon intensity measures the
CO2 equivalent emissions of fuel per unit of energy.
One study suggested the switch to low-carbon fuels accounts for one-quarter of B.C.'s 6.5 per cent reduction in emissions from 2007 levels.
Public sector — B.C.'s carbon neutral policy requires Crown corporations, universities, health facilities and other government operations to track emissions and reduce them to zero or purchase carbon offsets, but the program, which exempts some operations such as BC Ferries, has been plagued by problems.
In 2013, the government was forced to dissolve the Pacific Carbon Trust, the body charged with selling offsets and investing in GHG-reducing projects, after a scathing auditor-general's report that found the trust misspent money on ineffective projects and concluded the public sector had failed to become carbon neutral.
Alberta
Emissions target: 50 Mt CO2 eq. below "business as usual," i.e. what emissions would be if no action were taken, by 2020. By 2050: 50 per cent below projected "business as usual" and 14 per cent below 2005 levels.
The province's auditor-general has recently critized the province for not adequately implementing or monitoring its emissions-reduction strategies.
2012 emissions:
Total: 249 Mt CO2 eq.
Per capita: 64 tonnes CO2 eq.
% difference from 1990: +50 per cent
% of Canada's total emissions: 35.6 per cent
LEGISLATION
Emissions — Alberta is the country's largest emitter but was also the first province to regulate greenhouse gas emissions with the 2003 Climate Change and Emissions Management Act (and later the Specified Gas Emitters Regulation).
Existing facilities that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas per year have to cap their emissions intensity at 12 per cent below their average for 2003-2005. Facilities built in the last 15 years can phase in the cap over eight years.
Emissions intensity doesn't measure emissions in absolute terms but factors in GDP to measure GHG as a unit of production. This means that if production increases, emissions can increase and still fall within the target. Alberta has estimated that its absolute emissions won't begin to decline until 2020.
The Syncrude oilsands mine north of Fort McMurray, Alta. Fossil-fuel extraction and processing accounts for the bulk of Alberta's greenhouse gas emissions. (Todd Korol /Reuters)
Emitters pay a penalty of $15 for every tonne over their limit. The money is invested in "emission reduction technologies" by the Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation.
Emitters can purchase credits to offset emissions from those who have already reached their targets or are not subject to the regulations but have voluntarily reduced emissions.
Alberta's emissions-reduction strategy relies heavily on carbon capture and storage (CCS), which Alberta's own premier has called expensive and unproven. The province plans to reduce 70 per cent of its emissions through CCS, but the July 2014 auditor-general's report found it will meet less than 10 per cent of that goal.
Electricity — Alberta was the first to create a position of associate minister of electricity and renewable energy. About 90 per cent of electricity in government buildings comes from renewable sources. Provincewide, about 43 per cent of electricity generated in 2013 came from coal, and 40 per cent from natural gas.
Quebec
Emissions target: 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020
2012 emissions:
Total: 78.3 Mt CO2 eq.
Per capita: 9.7 tonnes CO2 eq.
% change from 1990: -7 per cent
% of Canada's total emissions: 11.2 per cent
LEGISLATION
Cap and trade — Quebec implemented its cap-and-trade system in 2013 for companies that emit 25,000 tonnes of CO2 eq. or more annually and fossil fuel distributors. It set a minimum auction price of $10.75 for the first year, which increases five per cent plus inflation each year until 2020. It linked up its carbon market with California's in November 2014.
Most of Quebec's energy comes from renewable sources, such as hydro power. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)
The government estimates the cap-and-trade system will raise $2.8 billion by 2020, which will go into Quebec's Green Fund to finance projects outlined in its Climate Change Action Plan.
Energy — It's no accident that Quebec is one of the few provinces to have reduced its emissions from 1990 levels: 97 per cent of the electricity it generates comes from renewable sources. While hydro power is its biggest strength, it has also invested heavily in wind power and aims to generate about 10 per cent of its power through wind by this year.
Other emissions-reduction targets for 2020: Divert all organic material from landfill; electric or hybrid vehicles to make up 25 per cent of all light passenger vehicles.
Ontario
Emissions target: 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020
2012 emissions:
Total: 167 Mt CO2 eq.
Per capita: 12.5 tonnes CO2 eq.
% change from 1990: -5.6 per cent
% of Canada's total emissions: 23.9 per cent
LEGISLATION
Energy — The Green Energy Act of 2009 began the province's transition to clean energy. It launched financial incentives for wind, solar and biomass power-generation projects and green construction and created the feed-in tariff program by which producers of renewable energy are paid premium rates to supply the power grid.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne says the province intends to join a cap-and-trade system that so far includes Quebec and California. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)
Coal — The province closed its last coal-fired generating plant in 2014, completing its phase-out of coal, which was providing 25 per cent of the province's energy as recently as 12 years ago.
Cap and trade — Ontario has been a part of the Western Climate Initiative since it was formed in 2007 and on Monday announced it would proceed with setting up a cap-and trade-system. Facilities that emit more than 25,000 tonnes of CO2 eq. have had to report their emissions annually since 2010.
Fuel — Ontario has committed to reducing carbon content in transportation fuels by 10 per cent by 2020.
Saskatchewan
Emissions target: 20 per cent below 2006 levels by 2020
2012 emissions:
Total: 74.8 Mt CO2 eq.
Per capita: 68.8 tonnes CO2 eq.
% change from 1990: +72 per cent
% of Canada's total emissions: 10.7 per cent
LEGISLATION
Emissions — The province passed a Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Act in 2010 that enables it to regulate emissions but has not yet implemented limits or required emitters to track emissions.
Coal pits south of Estevan, Sask. Unlike Ontario, Saskatchewan has no plans to phase out coal, which supplies about 44 per cent of its electricity. (Troy Fleece/Canadian Press)
Saskatchewan is Canada's second-largest oil producer, and growth in the oil and gas sector as well as potash mining and the expansion of coal-fired power generation have made it the highest per capita emitter.
Coal — About 44 per cent of Saskatchewan's electricity comes from coal-fired generation. The province has no plans to phase it out but instead intends to retrofit existing units to include carbon capture and storage technology — and has already announced one such $1.4 billion project.
*All emissions data is based on Canada's 2014 national inventory submission to the UN Framework for Climate Change.
**B.C. Ministry of Environment figures give a higher total of 61.5 Mt CO2 eq. because they include activities like deforestation, not included in the national inventory.
NEB SPILL MAP TAKES A STEP TOWARD PIPELINE TRANSPARENCY Canada still lags behind U.S. in making complete spill data public
(Source: CBC News) Canada's pipeline regulator took a "big step forward" on a promise to be more transparent with the release of a map of spills and other incidents. But gaps in the data still exist.
On Monday, the National Energy Board launched the interactive pipeline incident map to showcase 692 spills, fires, injuries and other events over the past eight years.
The incident map comes a year and a half after CBC News mapped the data — using data obtained under the Access to Information Act that contained numerous blank fields — and nearly two years after a Senate report called for the NEB to create such a tool for Canadians.
"The NEB developed the map because Canadians deserve to have access to information about incidents where they live and work," said NEB spokesman Darin Barter. "It reflects the NEB's new direction, and a commitment to openness and transparency."
Nathan Lemphers, a former senior policy analyst with the Alberta-based Pembina Institute and a specialist in pipeline safety, commended the national regulator for creating the tool.
"It's very encouraging to see that the National Energy Board is wanting to disclose this information in a format that's easily accessible by the public," said Lemphers. "That's a big step forward."
"But there's still more we can do when it comes to quality of the data and how accessible it is," he said.
For example, Lemphers noted that a number of incidents lack details on the type of substance or volume leaked, some figures in the map don't reflect previously published data and the descriptions of the terminology used are still mired in jargon.
The map is also missing a description of what happened in each incident — something the regulator does collect and can be "pretty important for understanding context," said Lemphers.
The Calgary-based NEB says some data is missing in the map because it won't include any information that they haven't investigated and verified.
Canada still lags behind U.S.
A U.S. pipeline transparency advocacy group also applauded the Canadian effort to be more transparent with the public.
But, Carl Weimer, executive director of the Washington State-based Pipeline Safety Trust, said "the NEB still lags well behind the federal regulator in the United States that makes easily available a good deal more information about individual incidents."
In 2012, the pipeline regulator got an infusion of money to improve safety and security, but that funding is soon coming to an end. (John Rieti/CBC)
South of the border, citizens have access to such details as the cause of the incident, information on property damage, the age of the component that failed, pressure the pipeline was operating at and other information that "help tell the full story of the failure," said Weimer.'
The NEB said it does plan to refine its map based on feedback. "If we can improve the system or increase the amount of data, we will do so," said Barter. Also, new incident data will be uploaded on a quarterly basis, with the next round slated for July.
However, the board is also planning a 15 per cent cutback of its workforce in the next two years as a temporary pool of money dedicated in 2012 to safety oversight runs out, according to a report released earlier this month.
Those cuts come despite increased public scrutiny of pipeline safety and a rise in large projects set to get underway.
"If we want the data to be reliable, we need people who can give it a critical eye on behalf of our public regulator," said Lemphers.
The federal regulator oversees 73,000 kilometres of pipeline that cross international and provincial borders and are operated by more than 100 companies. Together, these companies ship more than $160 billion worth of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas and natural gas liquids through these federally regulated conduits.
The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, which represents some of the country's largest operators of both federally and provincially regulated pipelines, says NEB's mapping effort "responds to the public's call for greater transparency," according to vice-president of external relations Philippe Reicher.
The industry group says it, too, plans to heed that call — with a similar tool to showcase its own members' data.
NEARLY 3 MILLION GALLONS OF DRILLING WASTE SPILL FROM NORTH DAKOTA PIPELINE Almost 3 million gallons of saltwater drilling waste spilled from a North Dakota pipeline earlier this month, a spill that’s now being called the state’s largest since the North Dakota oil boom began. The brine, which leaked from a ruptured pipeline about 15 miles from the city of Williston, has affected two creeks, but it doesn’t currently pose a threat to drinking water or public health. The pipeline’s operator — Summit Midstream Partners — discovered the spill on Jan. 6, but officials didn’t find out about the true size of the spill until this week. The pipeline company has been trying to clean up the spill by vacuuming water from the creek, but in doing so, they’re also capturing a lot of fresh water. “The problem is that … the creekbed is kinda being replenished with water so we extract, it fills; we extract, it fills,” John Morgan, a spokesman for Summit Midstream told the Grand Forks-Herald. North Dakota Department of Health Environmental Health Section Chief Dave Glatt said he hasn’t seen any impacts to wildlife yet, but officials won’t likely know the full impact until all the ice melts. Officials have discovered chloride concentrations in Blacktail Creek as high as 92,000 milligrams per liter — far higher than normal concentrations of about 10 to 20 milligrams per liter. “That has the ability to kill aquatic life and so we’ll want to see if the aquatic life was able to get out of the way, and if they weren’t, how badly they were impacted,” Glatt said. Blacktail Creek will ultimately be fully drained, but officials will continue to test the water and surrounding soil until the ice thaws in the spring. The other creek that was affected by the spill — Little Muddy Creek — won’t be drained because it’s a larger body of water, so it’s easier to dilute the saltwater that’s in the creek. “We will be monitoring to see how quickly [Little Muddy Creek] gets back to natural background water quality conditions, and we are already starting to see that,” Glatt said. “It’s getting back pretty quickly.” A main concern with brine that escapes into the environment is that it’s not your average, run-of-the-mill saltwater. The drilling waste can contain heavy metals and even radioactive material, and is up to eight times saltier than seawater. A July brine spill in North Dakota contaminated the soil and killed off vegetation. Brine can poison plants and also depletes water in the soil, creating an environment too dry for plants. Brine spills are also tough to clean up, especially if they impact a wide area of soil — the best way to help the soil recover is to flush it with fresh water, but that often takes a toll on freshwater supplies. A 2006 million-gallon brine spill in North Dakota killed fish and forced ranchers to move, and still hasn’t totally been cleaned up. These spills aren’t isolated incidents: in 2013 alone, there were 74 saltwater spills in North Dakota.
CALIFORNIA DELTA'S WATER MYSTERIOUSLY MISSING AMID DROUGHT (Source: ABC News) As California struggles with a devastating drought, huge amounts of water are mysteriously vanishing from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta — and the prime suspects are farmers whose families have tilled fertile soil there for generations.
A state investigation was launched following complaints from two large agencies that supply water to arid farmland in the Central Valley and to millions of residents as far south as San Diego.
Delta farmers don't deny using as much water as they need. But they say they're not stealing it because their history of living at the water's edge gives them that right. Still, they have been asked to report how much water they're pumping and to prove their legal rights to it.
At issue is California's century-old water rights system that has been based on self-reporting and little oversight, historically giving senior water rights holders the ability to use as much water as they need, even in drought. Gov. Jerry Brown has said that if drought continues this system built into California's legal framework will probably need to be examined.
Delta farmer Rudy Mussi says he has senior water rights, putting him in line ahead of those with lower ranking, or junior, water rights. "If there's surplus water, hey, I don't mind sharing it," Mussi said. "I don't want anybody with junior water rights leapfrogging my senior water rights just because they have more money and more political clout."
The fight pitting farmer against farmer is playing out in the Delta, the hub of the state's water system. With no indication of the drought easing, heightened attention is being placed on dwindling water throughout the state, which produces nearly half of the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the U.S.
A large inland estuary east of San Francisco, the Delta is fed by rivers of freshwater flowing down from the Sierra Nevada and northern mountain ranges. Located at sea level, it consists of large tracts of farmland separated by rivers that are subject to tidal ebbs and flows.
Most of the freshwater washes out to the Pacific Ocean through the San Francisco Bay. Some is pumped — or diverted — by Delta farmers to irrigate their crops, and some is sent south though canals to Central Valley farmers and to 25 million people statewide.
The drought now in its fourth year has put Delta water under close scrutiny. Twice last year state officials feared salty bay water was backing up into the Delta, threatening water quality. There was not enough fresh water to keep out saltwater. In June, the state released water stored for farmers and communities from Lake Oroville to combat the saltwater intrusion.
Nancy Vogel, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Water Resources, said "thousands of acre-feet of water a day for a couple of weeks" were released into the Delta. An acre-foot is roughly enough water to supply a household of four for a year.
The fact that the state had to resort to using so much from storage raised questions about where the water was going. That in turn prompted a joint letter by the Department of Water Resources and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation calling for an investigation into how much water Delta farmers are taking — and whether the amount exceeds their rights to it.
"We don't know if there were illegal diversions going on at this time," said Vogel, leaving it up to officials at the State Water Resources Control Board to determine. "Right now, a large information gap exists."
Some 450 farmers who hold 1,061 water rights in the Delta and the Sacramento and San Joaquin river watersheds were told to report their water diversions, and Katherine Mrowka, state water board enforcement manager, said a vast majority responded.
State officials are sorting through the information that will help them determine whether any are exceeding their water rights and who should be subject to restrictions.
"In this drought period, water accounting is more important to ensure that the water is being used for its intended purpose," said U.S. Bureau of Reclamation spokesman Louis Moore.
Mussi, a second-generation Delta farmer whose family grows tomatoes, wheat, corn, grapes and almonds on 4,500 acres west of Stockton, said Central Valley farmers have long known that in dry years they would get little or no water from state and federal water projects and would need to rely heavily on groundwater.
"All of a sudden they're trying to turn their water into a permanent system and ours temporary," Mussi said. "It's just not going to work."
Shawn Coburn farms 1,500 acres along the San Joaquin River in Firebaugh about 100 miles south of the Delta. As a senior rights holder, he figures he will receive 45 percent or less of the water he expected from the federal water project. On another 1,500 acres where he is a junior water rights holder, he will receive no surface water for a second consecutive year.
"I don't like to pick on other farmers, even if it wasn't a drought year," said Coburn. "The only difference is I don't have a pipe in the Delta I can suck willy-nilly whenever I want."
ESAA Member News
WSP ACQUIRES CANADIAN GEOTECH AND ENVIRO CONSULTANCY SPL WSP Group has snapped up Canadian multidisciplinary consulting and professional services company, SPL Consultants Ltd, indicating that its $1.35 billion takeover of Parsons Brinckerhoff - completed late last year (Environment Analyst 06-Nov-14) - has whetted WSP's appetite for further acquisitive growth.
Founded in 2009, the Ontario-based firm has grown rapidly, offering a range of engineering solutions covering geotechnical, environmental, hydrogeological, natural sciences and pavement/concrete engineering. With headquarters in Toronto, SPL employs 250 staff across a network of seven offices within Ontario. Its clients span government and municipal organisations, in addition to industries in Canada's private and public sectors.
President and CEO of the publicly-traded WSP Group, which is also based in Canada, David Ackert commented: "We are pleased with this acquisition, which, as per our growth strategy, will allow us to increase our environmental presence in Ontario and to expand the array of services we offer our clients, particularly as it relates to geotechnical services.
“Our complementary end-markets should also translate into revenue synergy opportunities, mainly for infrastructure and property-related projects."
SPL president David Lewis added: “WSP will be the ideal partner for us during the next stage of our growth. In our view, WSP's professional expertise and vast network are key assets that will enable us to develop nationwide."
SPL’s environmental service capabilities include: environmental site assessments, soil and groundwater remediation, risk assessment, air quality assessments, air quality permits / environmental compliance approvals and odour assessments.
The acquisition follows that of Dessau International Inc's Colombian 415-strong engineering subsidiary in late 2014, providing professional engineering consulting services in the transportation, energy, water and oil and gas sectors based in Bogotá.
Financial terms of the acquisitions have not been disclosed.
Upcoming Events
The Alberta Soils Network (ASN) presents “SOIL RECLAMATION QUALITY FOR PLANT GROWTH” by Kathryn Bessie, P. Ag., on May 14, 2015. The event, which is sponsored by Alberta Innovates Technology Futures will be held in Edmonton at Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Auditorium and broadcast across Alberta via weblink. Weblink participants will be sent the weblink access information via email 24 hours prior to the event. Please ensure that your email information registered with the AIA is correct. EVENT DESCRIPTION: Ms. Bessie will present a case study on comparing reclamation criteria, agricultural capability and lab ecotox assessment tools. The case study comprises 30 disturbed and 30 control inspection locations for a 36 hectare disturbance. Soil physical, chemical, and ecotoxicity data was collected and used to assess
the various tools that provide an assessment of the soil quality (or suitability) for plan growth. The reclamation goal is to prove “equivalent capability.” This case study involves soils that have agricultural and industrial use disturbances in the Brown Soil Zone near Brooks, Alberta. Site data used for input into the various tools included soil physical characteristics and classification to the series level. Site data also included analysis of over 110 point samples for chemical and physical parameters. The analytical data was summarized by horizon or layer statistically. The data was summarized using different tools to evaluate if the land treatment material, which has some residual contaminants, is equivalent land capability to the controls. The data was used to compare some common and new assessment tools for non-contaminant and residual contaminant parameters and to compare reclamation quality criteria and suitability of the soils for plant growth. SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY: Ms. Bessie has over 30 years of experience as a soils and environmental scientist specializing in remediation and reclamation. She has managed numerous soil and ecological inventories, contaminated site assessments, planned and supervised remediation and reclamation, assessed environmental liability and provided closure documents after remediation and reclamation. She also has experience in Environmental Impact Assessments and Conservation and Reclamation Plans, and expert witness testimony. Her strengths include a thorough understanding of regulatory guidelines, variability of natural soils, soil chemistry and the interaction of introduced contaminants on ecological systems and the practical application of the science to the field. Ms. Bessie was awarded a life-time achievement award for reclamation technical leadership and mentoring from Alberta Chamber of Resources in 2010. She was recognized as a “Distinguished Agrologists” through the Alberta Institute of Agrologists in 2012. REGISTRATION: Members and non-members should register online. Registration closes at 4:00 pm on May 7, 2015. Please note that for group registration for the weblink; each individual attending must register. Only individuals that have registered qualify for AIA Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits. Concerns with registration should be directed to the AIA 780-435-0606. REFUND POLICY: Refunds will not be given 6 days or less before the event. Any refunds given will be subject to a $5.00 administration fee. NOTE: Members who register for an event without logging in, will not be refunded the difference between the non-member and member rates. Contact Darcy [email protected] at the AIA office to receive a valid refund. Any event issues related to quality and clarity are the responsibility of the network, please contact the ASN directly. Event Schedule: 11:00 – 12:00 Registration 11:30 – 12:15 Lunch 12:15 – 13:00 Presentation 13:00 – 13:30 Questions & Answers Date: May 14, 2015 Location: Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Auditorium, 250 Karl Clark Rd NW Edmonton or Weblink Fee: 20.00 for attendance members and nonmembers $12.00 for attendance students (must present valid student ID) $12.00 for weblink members, nonmembers, students Contact: Rosemarie Franke 780-232-1967 Website: http://www.albertaagrologists.ca/default.aspx?page=31
Industry Positions Openings
For more information visit ESAA’s Job Board under the news section of HTUwww.esaa.org UTH
Environmental Specialist
Our client, a North American leader in the production of petrochemicals, is looking for an Environmental Specialist to work in Joffre, Alberta on a one year contract basis. The Environmental Specialist will work as a member of the Environment and Regulatory Team, responsible for the development and implementation of a variety of environmental management programs and plans to assist facilities and customers in ongoing environmental performance improvement. This person will be responsible for the Site Leak
Detection and Repair (LDAR), source emission and wildlife protection programs with meeting Responsible Care requirements through the collection, management and evaluation of environmental monitoring data and the compilation of summary reports. Responsibilities
LDAR, source emission and wildlife protection management including coordination of monitoring, data collection, evaluation and reporting, improvement projects and contractor management
Analyze and report annual air, site waste, water and release emissions in compliance with NERM/NPRI using company software systems
Applies and helps others apply relevant Responsible Care standards, policies and procedures.
Complete both internal and regulatory compliance reporting on time and to an acceptable standard
Support company sustainability initiatives
Work on broad assignments with others to achieve common goals/deliverables (may include field work and data analysis involving noise monitoring, soil, groundwater and surface/potable water)
Qualifications
Bachelor of Science degree with a preference for Environmental Science or related diploma
5 – 10 years of direct experience in an applicable or related industrial or manufacturing environment
A preference for experience in environmental management/monitoring, including air quality (ambient air, fugitive emissions, greenhouse gases, continuous emissions monitoring systems and source emissions testing) and environmental noise would be considered an asset
Demonstrated analytical and troubleshooting skills
Ability to interpret and apply technical documentation and general knowledge of environmental monitoring principles
Self-motivated focused on results, with the ability to work independently as well as collaborate with the team
Comfortable interacting with internal and external contacts and the ability to take initiative in building relationships
Ability to adapt to new situations and challenges and embrace change and new ideas
Excellent communications and organizational skills as demonstrated with previous employers Note: Only candidates with a valid Canadian work permit will be considered for the position. #LI-DB1 Application Details: Submit resume to [email protected]
Soil Scientist/Agrologist (P. Ag or R. Ag)
Job Description: Terra-Sano Earthworks & Environmental Consulting is a full-service environmental company that is currently seeking a Registered or Professional Agrologist. This full time position would be located in both our Calgary and Stettler offices.
Desired Skills and Experience: Duties will include but are not limited to:
Identification of differing soil classes for soil surveys and ground disturbances
Soil sampling and associated analyzing of gathered materials
Manage and conduct Phase I/II/III environmental site assessments
Interpret environmental data in order to effectively comply with client, regulatory agencies and contractor report requirements
Assessment of projects in order to ensure cost-effective and efficient work
Communicate and maintain positive relationship with clients, regulatory agencies, contractors and landowners
Graduate or Undergraduate degree in the Environmental Sciences along with designation as a Professional Agrologist (P. Ag) or Registered Agrologist (R. Ag) is required.
Please visit our company website at www.terra-sano.ca for further information. We invite you to send us your resume in confidence to: [email protected]
Environmental Scientist, Focussing on Assessment and Remediation Experience: Millennium EMS Solutions Ltd. (MEMS) is looking for an assessment and remediation professional with a minimum of three to five years of directly related experience in environmental site assessment and remediation, preferably in a consulting environment. Knowledge and experience with relevant provincial legislation and familiarity with the environmental site assessment process is a strong asset. Preference will be given to those candidates with strong writing and interpersonal skills, organizational abilities and technical competency. The successful candidate must be self-motivated with a strong work ethic and be able to work effectively in a multi- disciplinary setting. MEMS presents opportunities to be crossed trained in other areas of MEMS technical disciplines and provides mentoring in the application of Tier 2 guidelines and site specific risk assessments. Positions are currently available in Edmonton, Calgary, Grande Prairie or Saskatoon.
Reports to: Discipline Lead, Assessment and Remediation
Job Purpose: To work as part of MEMS Assessment and Remediation Team in completing assessment and remediation projects, for clients in Alberta and Saskatchewan. This full time position requires a combination of flexible office and field work.
Responsibilities:
Developing work plans and costs estimates for Phase 2 ESAs and remediation projects.
Lead the planning, organizing and the completion of field programs for ESAs and remediation projects, including soil and groundwater assessments with on-site consideration of potential Tier 2 guideline modifications or development.
Contractor supervision to implement ESA and remediation projects.
Accurate field cost tracking of expenses and contractors.
Preparation of reports including Tier 2 guideline modifications or application of site specific guidelines for remediation.
Working independently or in a team setting and the ability to make responsible decisions with the support and mentoring of senior staff.
The successful applicant will need to possess a valid non-GDL Class 5 Driver’s Licence.
The successful applicant must also be a member or be eligible for membership in a relevant professional organization.
MEMS is a dynamic and diverse environmental consulting company offering outstanding opportunities and long term career advancement. Currently MEMS employs over 140 professionals in various disciplines. MEMS utilizes an integrated approach to its assessment and remediation projects that emphasizes cross training of disciplines to allow for efficiencies in data collection and assessment, and provides MEMS professionals with enhanced technical skills and job satisfaction. There are over 40 professionals in our assessment and remediation team. Look for us on the web at www.mems.ca.
MEMS offers an excellent benefits program, profit sharing, extra time banking, a performance bonus program, RRSP contribution matching program and opportunities for employee share ownership. Please send your resume with a covering letter/email referencing the position number and title to the attention of Human Resources at [email protected]. We thank all applicants for their interest however only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Office Locations:
6111 91 Street NW Edmonton, AB T6E 6V6 tel: 780.496.9048 fax: 780.496.9049 web: www.mems.ca
#325, 1925 18 Avenue NE Calgary, AB T2E 7T8 tel: 403.592.6180 fax: 403.283.2647 web: www.mems.ca
#106, 10920 84 Avenue Grande Prairie, AB T8X 6H2 tel: 780.357.5500 fax: 780.357.5501 web: www.mems.ca
