In October 2009, the RSC commissioned an expert panel comprising Canadian scientists ands chaired by Dr. Steve Hrudley, FRSC, Professor Emeritus, Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, University of Alberta.

RSC tasked the panel with reviewing and assessing available evidence bearing on the environmental and health issues, and identifying knowledge gaps to provide Canadians with a scientific perspective. Major findings in the report addressing health and environmental issues include:

• Reclamation and financial security. Reclamation is not keeping pace with the rate of land disturbance, but research indicates that sustainable uplands reclamation is achievable and ultimately should be able to support traditional land uses. Current practices for obtaining financial security for reclamation leave Albertans vulnerable to major financial risk.

• Impacts of contaminants on downstream residents. There is currently no credible evidence of environmental contaminant exposures from oil sands reaching Fort Chipweyan at levels expected to cause elevated human cancer rates, according to the report. More monitoring focused on human contaminant exposures is needed to address First Nation and community concerns.

• Impacts on population health in Wood Buffalo. There is population level evidence that residents of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo experience a range of health indicators, consistent with boom town impact and community infrastructure deficits, which are poorer than those of a comparable Alberta region and provincial averages.

• Impacts on the regional water supply. Current industrial water use demands do not threaten the viability of the Athabasca River system if the Water management Framework developed to protect in-stream ecosystem flow needs is fully implemented and enforced.

• Impacts on regional water quality and groundwater quantity. Current evidence on water quality impacts on the Athabasca River system suggests that oil sands development activities are not a current threat to aquatic ecosystem viability. However, there are valid concerns about the current Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program (RAMP) that must be addressed. The regional cumulative impact on groundwater quantity and quality has not been assessed.

• Tailings pond operation and reclamation. Technologies for improved tailings management are emerging but the reate of improvement has not prevented a growing inventory of tailings ponds. Reclamation and management options for wet landscapes derived form tailings ponds have been researched but are not adequately demonstrated.

• Impacts on ambient air quality. The current ambient air quality monitoring data for the region show minimal impacts form oil sands development on regional air quality except for noxious odor emission problems over the past tow years. COntrol of NO_x emissions and regional acidification potential remain valid concerns.

• Impacts of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Progress has been made by the oil sands industry in reducing its GHG emissions per barrel of bitumen produced. Nonetheless, increasing GHG emissions form growing bitumen production creates a major challenge for Canada to meet its international commitments for overall GHG emissions reduction that current technology options do not resolve.

• Environmental regulatory performance. The environmental regulatory capacity of the Alberta and Canadian Governments does not appear to have keep pace with the rapid expansion of the oil sands industry over the past decade. The EIA process relied upon by decision-makers to determine whether proposed projects are in the pubic interest has serious deficiencies in relation to international best practice. Environmental data access for cumulative impact assessment needs to improve.

Resources

• Environmental and Health Impacts of Canada’s Oil Sands Industry