Loading articles...

Feds unveil new oil sands monitoring system

The federal government is stepping up its role in monitoring the environmental impact of the oil sands.

Environment minister Peter Kent announced a new fifty million dollar monitoring system today that will be paid for by the oil industry.

It will increase the number of water monitoring stations on smaller streams, increase air monitoring stations to see how far pollution moves outside the Alberta border, and check for changes to wildlife in the area.

The provincial environment minister quickly responded to the federal announcement today.

Rob Renner says the new federal system will not result in both levels of government doing the same thing.

Oil Sands Developers Group President Don Thompson has said two parallel monitoring systems would be a “nightmare.”

Renner says it’s critical that the two levels of government cooperate to avoid duplicating efforts and costs.