Alberta’s oilsands tailings ponds are killing birds at a rate 30 times higher than government and industry figures imply, according to a new study.
Ecologist Kevin Timoney, who co-authored the report, calls industry self-reporting of bird deaths “ad hoc” and says it consistently underestimates actual mortality.
He “conservatively” estimates the average annual number of bird deaths is close to 2,000. Industry says the average is 65.
“There needs to be an end to industry monitoring itself,” says Timoney. “The government needs to do its obligation… it’s had entirely too much of a hands-off approach.”
Timoney’s study comes on the heels of a scathing report released last week by University of Alberta scientists that linked toxic pollutants in the Athabasca River to oilsands development.
“We’re committed to reducing the risk of bird mortalities in the oilsands,” Premier Ed Stelmach said on Tuesday. “When we get to dry tailings ponds I’m sure that we won’t have any of the same issues that we have with bird mortality that we do today.”
In April, the premier ordered industry to eliminate wet tailings ponds within a “few years.” Yet, last month the province’s oil and gas regulator relaxed its own rules around tailings waste and green-lighted Imperial Oil’s new Kearl oilsands project.
Comments: 4
Subvertisement wrote:
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 7:15am Report Abuse
guardineer wrote:
1. Birds (continuous supply from migrating species)
AND
2. The internal organs of indigenous people living downstream..
Am I cynical or what?
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 4:23pm Report Abuse
Subvertisement wrote:
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 10:12pm Report Abuse
kensington guy wrote:
But it still amounts to less than 5% of the estimated number of birds killed by wind turbines.
on Sep 13th, 2010 at 7:35am Report Abuse
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