Hydraulic Fracturing in Canada, Federal Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan Reports Concerns, List of Fracking Substances in Canada Still Secret ernstversusencana.ca/hydraulic-fracturing-in-canada-federal-environment-commissioner-scott-vaughan-reports-concerns-list-of-fracking-substances-in-canada-still-secretVery good read. I especially liked this.. Environmental watchdog worried about rise of fracking, Better understanding needed of chemicals in process, report says by Max Paris, February 5, 2013, CBC News Chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process — commonly called fracking — were of particular concern to Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan in his last report as auditor of Canadian environmental regulations that was tabled today in the House of Commons. The federal government told Vaughan that fracking is an emerging issue, and it is only now looking into it. Provinces, for the most part, are responsible for regulating the oil and gas sector, but Ottawa is in the driver’s seat when it comes to toxic substances. “According to the government, until it has a better understanding of hydraulic fracturing, it cannot determine whether risk assessments and control measures are warranted,” wrote Vaughan. … The government doesn’t have a good handle on the type of chemicals the industry uses in the process. It has developed a partial list of 800, of which 33 are toxic. Each shale gas well uses between 55,000 and 200,000 litres of chemical cocktail. In B.C. alone, 7,300 wells have been fractured since 2005, and between 500 and a 1,000 new ones are being permitted each year. Ottawa will finish a review on fracking in March 2014. The fracking mention in Vaughan’s report is in keeping with its theme that “environmental protection may not be keeping pace with resource development.” … The commissioner also found that fines for damages caused by spills or other industrial accidents are woefully outdated and inadequate. He noted they are much lower than in other countries. … $4B in tax rebates to industry There currently is no liability cap when a company is at fault. But if there is no negligence, the top cap is $30 million in the Atlantic and $40 million in the Arctic. The rest of the tab is picked up by taxpayers. … “If you’re an oil and gas company and you don’t have to worry about the risks, then the planning for those accidents is going to be a lower priority,” said Ted Hsu, the Liberal natural resources critic. “So what we’ve got to do is eliminate the moral hazard of taxpayers covering the liability for oil and gas drilling companies.” [Emphasis added] Opposition demands government response to environment audit, Federal environmental protections are struggling to keep up with the fast pace of development in the energy industry by CTV News, February 5, 2013 Federal environmental protections are struggling to keep up with the fast pace of development in the energy industry, leaving Canada exposed to the risks of oil spills, pollution, and damage to fragile habitat, a new audit says. Scott Vaughan, Canada’s commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, issued his parting words Tuesday after five years in the job, taking a close look at how well Ottawa is managing the significant environmental risks associated with its goal of aggressively promoting resource development. … In the North, Vaughan is especially concerned that officials with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada are not inspecting mining operations to make sure companies are living up to their obligations. In one mining case, the department accepted $17.6 million in promissory notes for reclamation, but the notes were not guaranteed by a bank and were below standards set out by legislation. … “The costs to taxpayers of tax incentives are difficult to estimate accurately,” Vaughan states, urging the government to make the money trail clearer. [Emphasis added] Environmental problems place economy at risk, departing commissioner says by Mike de Souza, Postmedia News, February 5, 2013, Edmonton Journal Inadequate federal environmental protection, poor management and recent changes to Canada’s conservation laws are exposing the economy to serious risks that could include multibillion-dollar environmental disasters, said Parliament’s environment watchdog on Tuesday. Stephen Harper says economic warning from green watchdog is “useful” advice by Mike de Souza, Postmedia News, February 5, 2013, canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper says a report from his government’s environment watchdog warning that poor environmental protection threatens the Canadian economy is a “useful piece of advice” that will guide future decisions. In his final report to the House of Commons before he leaves his job, Scott Vaughan, the federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, highlighted numerous weaknesses and confusion in federal efforts to protect water and monitor activities such as fracking and offshore oil and gas exploration. Vaughan said the government needed to ensure that companies were prepared to clean up multibillion-dollar environmental disasters. … Opposition parties said the Fall 2012 report, tabled Tuesday, showed the government was putting taxpayers at risk. But in response to questions from NDP leader Tom Mulcair and interim Liberal leader Bob Rae, Harper said Vaughan’s report contained “a number of useful suggestions.” … “ ‘Polluter pay’ is at the heart of this government’s environmental philosophy,” Harper said in the Commons. “I think the government has already been clear that responsible resource development means that as we see the growth in resource development over the decades to come, there will have to be enhanced measures of environmental protection.” … Vaughan, who announced last month that he would be leaving his position two years ahead of schedule to accept a new job as head of a Manitoba-based environmental policy research organization, also used his final report to express concerns about recently adopted changes to the federal Fisheries Act in July 2012 that remove protection for some bodies of water. … Vaughan’s report said Canada’s economy is threatened by a failure to meet international obligations under a United Nations treaty to protect 10 per cent of its marine areas. [Emphasis added] Alberta seeks public input on fracking, lakes and drinking water by Karen Kleiss, February 5, 2013, Edmonton Journal Environment Minister Diana McQueen announced Tuesday the government will spend $1 million on province wide consultations that will determine how water is used in Alberta for the next 50 years. McQueen said opinions gathered at public forums in 20 towns and cities will be used to design a new water strategy, but critics say the governing Tories have already heard what Albertans think about water and have failed to follow through on their promises. canada Canadas great, shareable stories O.CANADA.COM|BY POSTMEDIA NETWORK INC. 13 mins · Like · Remove Preview
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 05:50:34 +0000
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