Alberta and the federal government are aiming to reveal the first phase of an oilsands environmental monitoring plan by the end of the month.
“We know it is essential for both governments to stand together behind a monitoring system that gives the world assurance that this critical global resource is being developed responsibly,” said Mark Cooper, spokesman for Alberta Environment and Water.
“We plan to deliver a system that is comprehensive and scientifically credible. We’re going to get this right. We can’t afford not to.”
Revamped monitoring comes in response to six reports in 2010 and 2011 that all pointed to problems in how Alberta tracks the environmental impact of the huge and rapidly growing industry.
Although the province has collected decades worth of data in the area, reviewers concluded the information didn’t give a very clear picture of what tens of billions of dollars in development have done to the Athabasca River and its watershed.