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AER recommends approving Shell's Jackpine oil sands mine

After 6 years in front of regulators, the final decision on whether Shell can expand its Jackpine oil sands mine is getting closer.

The province’s energy regulator recommends approving the project, even after noting it could ruin thousands of hectares of wetland.

It suggests as compensation that Shell invest in a new protected area.

It has sent it’s report to the federal government, who, in the next four months will decide whether to accept, reject or change it.

In total, Shell faces 22 binding recommendations and 88 non-binding ones.

The expansion would allow the oil sands company to increase the project’s output by 50-percent to 300-thousand barrels per day.

July 11th, 2013