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Canada and Alberta introduce joint plan for improved environmental monitoring in the oil sands

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Proposed oil sands monitoring by 2015. The Government of Canada and Government of Alberta unveiled “The Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring” in a partnership to improve environmental monitoring in the oil sands region with a program that will sample more sites for more substances more frequently.

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University of Alberta Researchers Find That Oil Sands Industry Is Releasing More Pollutants Into Athabasca River System Than Previously Estimated

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Contrary to claims made by industry and government in the popular press, the oil sands industry substantially increases loadings of toxic PPE [priority pollutants] to the AR and its tributaries via air and water pathways. The pollutants found include mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium. Kelly et al. David Schindler.

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Study finds heavy-petroleum fuels raising vanadium emissions; human emissions outpacing natural sources by factor of 1.7

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and are destined to rise significantly with the use of heavy oils, tar sands, and bitumen as combustion sources. Oil and coke refineries are generally built in areas where residents don’t have the political or economic clout to fight back, Schlesinger noted. —lead author William H. Schlesinger, James B. 1715500114.

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National Academies Report Examines Hidden Cost of Energy Production and Use in US; Estimates $120B in 2005

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A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates, “hidden” costs of energy production and use—such as the damage air pollution imposes on human health—that are not reflected in market prices of coal, oil, other energy sources, or the electricity and gasoline produced from them. of the estimated total.

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New study concludes oil sands development has significantly increased PAH and DBT loadings in regional lakes; combined with effects of climate change, a “new ecological state” for the lakes

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Standardized values (Z scores) of (A) visible reflectance spectroscopy (VRS) chlorophyll a inferences from the five lakes proximate to major oil sands operations as indicators of lake primary production; (B) total PAH concentrations and (C) total DBT concentrations from all six study sites. Source: Kurek et al. Click to enlarge.

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