The supposed oil spill in the Athabasca River that had a local first nation up in arms wasn’t an oil spill at all.
The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is now admitting that the so-called oily sheen on the river is most likely just dead blue-green algae.
The First Nation had repeatedly called it a petrochemical spill, despite there being no proof of it being oil.
Chief Allan Adam had also called the so-called spill a “toxic threat” despite only having seen it from an airplane.
All along, the province had insisted that it was likely natural.
The algae was likely caused by river run-off followed by the recent wave of high temperatures.
In its latest media release, the First Nation attempts to blame global warming for the algae bloom.
July 11, 2013