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Inside this Issue:
 Clearing the Air in
Central Alberta
 Alberta’s Abandoned
Wells Quadrupled in
Last 12 Months
 Grauer’s Gorillas May
Soon be Extinct
 New Section: ESAA
Member Charity
Activities
 ESAA Member News
 Upcoming Event
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CLEARING THE AIR IN CENTRAL ALBERTA
The Alberta government is releasing a plan to help improve ambient air quality in the Red
Deer region.
Between 2009 and 2013, ambient air quality in the region exceeded Canadian standards
for fine particulate matter. The plan will help bring ambient air quality in compliance with
national standards.
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“Our government is committed to reducing the amount of air pollution across the province
and we are taking steps that will improve air quality which is vital to the health of all
Albertans.” - Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks
Amongst the major sources of air pollution is burning coal. It is harmful to our health and
costs Albertans hundreds of millions in additional health care costs and lost productivity.
Under Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan, all coal pollution in the province will be phased
out by 2030.
“The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment celebrates these actions to
reduce air pollution’s health effects in the central Alberta region. In particular the ongoing
phase out of coal-fired electricity will do much do decrease the impact on Albertan’s health.”
- Dr. Joe Vipond, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
“The Alberta government’s commitment to the elimination of coal fired electricity generation is a positive step to
improving air quality for all Albertans. This is particularly true for those with asthma and other respiratory diseases,
who will now be able to breathe well and live healthy active lives.” - Noah Farber, Director of Public Affairs, Asthma
Society of Canada
Decisive steps are also being taken to improve air quality in central Alberta. The response action plan is multi-layered,
involving work developed and implemented by area stakeholders, as well as a broader provincial plan that builds on
and complements local efforts.
The region’s stakeholders have committed to taking swift action to bring emission levels down, and to publicly report
on their actions.
For example, the Parkland Airshed Management Zone (PAMZ) will continue to monitor ambient air quality and work
with local stakeholders to better understand the issue.
To help with this, the province is providing a $250,000 grant to the PAMZ to strengthen efforts to identify the different
sources of pollution.
“PAMZ is pleased to receive this significant additional funding from the Government of Alberta today. These funds
will go a long way in strengthening efforts already underway to identify the contributing sources of high fine particulate
matter levels in our airshed.” - Kevin Warren, Executive Director, Parkland Airshed Management Zone
In addition to a new air monitoring station in Red Deer, $560,000 will be provided to refine monitoring in the area.
Specifically, this will provide for more detailed particulate matter monitoring for Central Alberta which will result in a
more precise identification of pollution sources.
Provincially, government will undertake a number of actions to address both industrial emissions and non-point
sources such as transportation. Improving the understanding of the contributing factors, as well as best practices for
responses are also part of this effort.
At the same time, the Alberta Motor Association and other partners will focus on developing an educational
component for motorists.
“AMA has long encouraged motorists to drive efficiently and regularly maintain their vehicles to reduce their impact
on the environment. We look forward to working with our partners in government to help promote specific actions
motorists can take to further improve air quality and to ensure a healthy environment for all Albertans.” - Jeff Kasbrick,
Vice President, Government & Stakeholder Relations, Alberta Motor Association
The exceedances of national standards should not be confused with the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). The AQHI
is a real-time measure of all pollutants in the air, no matter the source – caused by people or not (e.g., forest fires).
The national standards look at air quality effects from manmade emission sources, such as industry, vehicles, homes,
and businesses.
PROVINCE, TRANSALTA REACH AGREEMENT TO PROTECT CALGARY AND OTHER BOW RIVER
COMMUNITIES FROM FLOOD AND DROUGHT
A multi-year agreement with TransAlta will provide flood protection to Calgary, reduce the impacts of drought, and
help communities adapt to a changing climate.
The five-year agreement with TransAlta allows the province to modify operations at Ghost Reservoir for flood
mitigation purposes from May 16 to July 7 each year, and adjust reservoir levels at three Kananaskis-area reservoirs
year-round to supplement flows on the Bow River during dry periods, or provide additional flood storage.
“Both flood and drought are serious concerns in southern Alberta. This agreement provides more storage capacity
and greater flexibility to help protect communities along the Bow River from the potentially devastating effects of flood
and drought, and the uncertainties of a changing climate.” - Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks
“This is a valuable agreement that will help protect Calgarians who live and work along the Bow River. Collaborative
management of the Ghost Reservoir is a key part of a suite of flood mitigation projects required along the Bow River,
and I’m pleased we’re moving forward today. This is not only an important investment in the protection of people and
the environment, it’s an investment in the resilience of our economy through the protection of downtown Calgary.” Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary
“This is a positive step towards collaborative water management in the Bow River basin. Successful implementation
hinges on the flexibility and responsiveness of water managers to flood and drought conditions, and provides the
opportunity for all of us to learn by doing.” - Kim Sturgess, Chief Executive Officer, Alberta WaterSMART
“The water users of the Western Irrigation District are pleased to see that the province is balancing flood and drought
mitigation. We want to make sure there is enough water to grow crops in a dry year. Good water management and
collaboration are the keys to dealing with both flood and drought.” - Erwin Braun, General Manager, Western Irrigation
District
Modified operations at TransAlta facilities provide an important layer of resilience in a changing climate where flood
and drought events are expected to become more common and more severe. Modified use of existing water
management infrastructure complements the province’s other flood and drought resiliency efforts, including
community-level mitigation, new flood hazard mapping, and the restoration of wetlands and riparian areas.
Last year’s agreement provided the province with up to 65 million cubic metres of flood storage at Ghost Reservoir
during the high run-off season. The new agreement provides the same use of Ghost Reservoir, plus year-round
control of reservoir levels at Barrier Lake, Upper Kananaskis Lake, and Lower Kananaskis Lake.
Initial reservoir target levels will be set prior to each operating season based on the provincial Water Supply Outlook,
snowpack and soil moisture conditions, and prevailing weather patterns. However, water levels will fluctuate during
the modified operations period to reflect ongoing risk assessments for both flood and drought.
Financial terms
The Alberta government will provide TransAlta with $5.5 million in compensation annually for five years to offset the
impacts that modified operations will have on TransAlta’s ability to generate power at these facilities.
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER MARKS EARTH DAY BY PRAISING THE IMPORTANT WORK OF LAND TRUSTS IN
PROTECTING ALBERTA’S ENVIRONMENT
Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips marked Earth Day at an event held at the Helen Schuler Nature
Centre in Lethbridge, where she praised the important work of land trusts in helping to conserve some of Alberta’s
most vulnerable landscapes.
“Albertans care deeply about their environment, and as we celebrate Earth Day the Alberta government is pleased
to help fund projects that bring private landowners and land trusts together to ensure that ecologically sensitive areas
are protected now and into the future.” - Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks
Under Budget 2016, the funding available through the Land Stewardship Fund will be $15 million per year over the
next five years to support public and private conservation projects. The fund is used to support the Land Trust Grant
Program – which promotes voluntary conservation of high-quality private land – and the Land Purchase Program,
which is used to purchase land of high conservation value or importance to the province.
The announcement follows the 2015-16 round of Land Trust Grants, which saw six land trusts receive grants for
projects on 22 parcels of land. These projects will help conserve more than 5,400 hectares of privately owned land.
These grants are used by land trusts to undertake stewardship activities or establish conservation easements – a
legal agreement between landowners and organizations that protects agricultural, aesthetic, environmental and
recreational values on their land from certain types of development.
Several projects managed by the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society, which also attended the event, will help
preserve vital headwaters that supply drinking water to Calgary and Lethbridge, as well as essential waterways in the
Castle.
“The Land Trust Grant Program has been a game changer for private land conservation in Alberta. In only four years,
it has helped our organization preserve more than 2,000 hectares, or seven square miles, of Alberta’s most
ecologically significant privately owned land.” - Justin Thompson, Executive Director of the Southern Alberta Land
Trust Society
Applicants to the program must demonstrate that their conservation areas align with the overall conservation goals
of Alberta Environment and Parks. This includes maintaining large areas of native landscapes, conserving connecting
corridors for biodiversity or sustaining disconnected pockets of native habitats within fragmented landscapes.
Applicants must also provide at least two-thirds of the final funding for the project.
THE FOLLOWING LAND TRUSTS RECEIVED GRANTS IN 2015-16:

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
Alberta Conservation Association – seven grants totaling $348,225
Alberta Fish & Game Association – one grant totaling $22,975
Ducks Unlimited Canada– three grants totaling $200,098
Nature Conservancy of Canada – four grants totaling $3,807,659
Southern Alberta Land Trust Society – four grants totaling $744,000
Western Sky Land Trust – two grants totaling $765,100
Grant total: $5,888,057
ALBERTA'S ABANDONED WELLS QUADRUPLED IN LAST 12 MONTHS. WHO WILL CLEAN THEM UP?
(Source: desmog.ca) The Alberta government titled its 2016 budget “The Alberta Jobs Plan” but there’s one group in
the province that’s disappointed it will not see its jobs proposal funded.
The reclamation and clean-up of abandoned oil sites was proposed as a potential job creator by the Petroleum
Services Association of Canada (PSAC). With over 37,000 orphaned and inactive wells across the province and
thousands of unemployed, highly-skilled workers, PSAC said the provincial government should dedicated funds to
well clean-up and reclamation.
It’s a proposal similar to Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s ask for federal funding to clean up his province’s
orphaned oil wells. His request for $156 million went unanswered in the federal budget. Wall argued the funding
would have put 1,200 people back to work.
Alberta’s economic downturn has seen 40,000 jobs lost in the energy sector. PSAC argued putting money into
decommissioning oil sites could reclaim some oil and gas sector jobs and get companies back to work.
“We are losing tens of thousands of workers from the oil and gas services sector and, along with them, the intellectual
capital and expertise we need when the economy turns around,” Mark Salkeld, president and CEO of PSAC, said.
PSAC has advocated for several months that $500 million in funds, whether from the province or federal government,
be put into a decommissioning program for orphaned and inactive wells.
But on budget day in Alberta the only funding dedicated to this issue was a $30.5 million injection into the Orphan
Well Association, a group funded predominantly by industry (they received a one-time boost of $30 million from
Alberta a few years ago) that cleans up sites abandoned by bankrupted companies.
The cost of reclaiming a single well starts around $10,000 but can become millions in some cases. Since its inception
just over two decades ago the Orphan Well Association has reclaimed over 650 wells. Over 540 wells have been
abandoned in Alberta in the last 12 months, up four times from previous years as especially junior and intermediate
companies have struggled with record-low oil prices. An estimated 700 orphaned wells are the result of bankruptcy.
Brad Herald, vice president of Western Canadian Operations with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
and director of the Orphan Well Association, said the group is on its way to reclaiming 160 abandonments a year,
which is up from 40 to 50 per year previously.
“We’ve effectively quadrupled the wells we’re going to put to bed in just a couple years,” Herald said.
A lack of fresh funds to handle the growing number of abandoned sites means the Alberta government hopes sticking
with a polluter-pays model will pan out in the long run.
“Many Albertans and Canadians alike don’t want their tax dollars going to cleaning up after someone else,” Alberta
Energy Minister Marg McQuiag Boyd said in a statement to DeSmog Canada.
Don Bester, president of the Alberta Surface Rights Group, agrees. Tax-dollar subsidized reclamation creates the
expectation government will simply pay for industry’s abandoned projects, which, according to Bester, removes any
incentive for companies to carry out costly clean-up.
“Oil and gas companies that are not in trouble are going to just say ‘well, why not just leave them? Somewhere down
the road the government will clean them up.’”
In the meantime, however, thousands of inactive wells dot the provincial landscape on at times valuable farmland,
like environmental potholes left for future generations.
Barry Robinson, lawyer and National Program Director with Ecojustice, said if there was ever a time for government
to step in with funds for orphaned wells, it would be now during the economic downturn when costs are low and
people need jobs.
“The sooner you clean up the really old wells the less environmental risk you have,” he said.
Robinson said government investment could get clean up going in the short term while a longer-term repayment
program could be put in place through royalties.
“Ultimately polluter-pays is the way to do it,” Robinson said. “We’d like to see companies post security for the
abandonment and reclamation right at the time the well was drilled.”
It would avoid the current situation of companies going bankrupt and disappearing, leaving their wells to be handled
by the province. For Robinson, it’s a long-term solution, which, when it comes to Alberta’s orphaned wells, have been
in short supply.
Robinson says a big issue is the absence of timeline rules in oil and gas regulations. Without meaningful time limits
regulators have nothing to enforce.
“Companies are not doing anything wrong or illegal by simply leaving wells inactive,” Robinson said, adding there are
at times “good reasons for wells to be inactive.”
But he said there are orphaned wells dating back to the 50s and 60s that still have not been dealt with. The longer
a well sits abandoned, the higher the risk of accidental release or groundwater contamination.
For the landowners Bester works with, these legacy wells mean they’re stuck with inoperable and potentially
hazardous land.
During a major review of Alberta’s royalty structure last year, the Alberta Surface Rights Group recommended the
government integrate clean up payments directly into the oil and gas regulatory structure.
Bester said he also recommended the government require companies to clean up old well before building new sites.
Ultimately his group’s recommendations went nowhere.
Bester’s group has met with Environment Minister Shannon Phillips and Minister McQuiag-Boyd on the issue and is
hopeful a regulatory change will come this spring during the legislative session.
PROFESSOR RAISES HEALTH CONCERNS ABOUT GOLD BAR GAS SMELL
Rotten egg smell in Gold Bar may be adverse to health
(Source: CBC News) There's something rotten in Edmonton's Gold Bar Park. Area residents and park users have
been complaining about a noxious smell for years.
The culprit is Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) gas emitted from the nearby waste treatment plant.
And while EPCOR and Alberta Environment have long considered it to be a simple odour issue, new evidence
suggests there could actually be an adverse effect on people's health.
"For many years, the assumption was that it's ok because there was a park there and the city said it was ok, "
said David Bennett, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alberta.
David Bennett, a neuroscience professor and cross country skier, decided to test the air at Gold Bar Park after
becoming concerned about the rotten egg smell near the waste treatment plant. (Supplied )
Bennett is an avid cross country skier who's been bringing his family to Gold Bar Park for years to use the trails.
His constant encounters with the pervasive rotten egg smell never sat well.
"Ever since I moved to Edmonton, it's been pretty obvious it's not a great location for cross country ski trails because
it's sandwiched between a sewage treatment plant and the refineries on the upper end of it," he said.
Concerned about the health of his family, Bennett decided to perform his own air quality tests using a very sensitive
H2S sensor.
He spent the last week of November 2014 monitoring levels several times a day, for an hour each session.
"I would walk along the trail until the peak odour and then measure the levels," Bennett said. "They basically came
out the same every day at around 25 parts per billion (ppb) and every day exceeded the levels considered the
guidelines for Alberta."
Those guidelines state Alberta's ambient air quality objectives for H2S are just 10 ppb for an hour.
Those levels were originally set to protect people with higher sensitivity like asthmatics and children in addition to
helping control the disturbing odour.
"It's a toxic gas so it can accumulate to really toxic levels," Bennett explained. "In fact sewer workers have to monitor
it because it can be really lethal."
Bennett wrote a report on his findings and submitted it to the Edmonton Nordic Ski Club last year.
He says that's when Alberta Environment became involved to verify the numbers.
This past winter, they put in a portable monitoring station for several months near the treatment plant.
"Their data basically confirmed my data and further told us that the bad wind days are low wind days when the
pollution is trapped there," said Bennett.
Review of guidelines overdue
While he admits he's not an expert on environmental measurements, Bennett says he is an expert on understanding
the impact of chemicals like H2S on the brain.
"We study spinal cords and neurons in my lab and it's very clear from my work that the body is very sensitive to
hydrogen sulphide and it can be a health issue at very low levels," he said.
"The problem is the Alberta government really hasn't updated their long term health guidelines for many years."
He says the standard for hydrogen sulphide was actually set back in the early 1970s, and there's never been a clear
statement from the government saying there's a health risk even at low levels - until now.
Earlier this week, Bennett received a letter from Health Minister Sarah Hoffman pledging to take action.
"This recent letter from Alberta Health finally makes some headway to them at least admitting and looking into the
health risks of these low level, long-term exposures to hydrogen sulphide," he said.
"The letter basically says they do admit there could be a problem with these low levels."
Hoffman wasn't available for comment, but her office sent a statement to CBC:
"Alberta Health confirms it will be leading a scientific review of acute and chronic health impacts for substances like
H2S – we expect this review to begin this summer. The review's results will be made available publicly upon
completion."
In the meantime, Bennett says Alberta Environment has given EPCOR until May to reduce H2S emissions from the
plant to keep them below acceptable levels.
"We knew EPCOR was supposed to reduce H2S, but we also knew they hadn't in the past and were unlikely to in
the future because their position was it's just an odour issue," said Bennett. "But now we're making some headway
into the government admitting that it could be a health risk."
Your nose knows
Bennett says there's an easy way to know if you could be at risk while in the park.
He noted all of the highest levels of H2S were recorded where there was a smell present.
"The actual problem is fairly localized to within 500 metres of the plant, depending on the wind direction. It's easy to
use your common sense if it smells," he advised. "My sense of smell is around 10 ppb so I know if I smell it, it's
exceeding. And I can easily ski along to another part of the trail where it doesn't smell and pretty much know I'm safe,
right?"
Bennett's testing did find the air quality was the best in the park during the noon hour, although he couldn't explain
why.
He suggests that might be the best time for people to work out in the area or choose to use Capilano instead.
"You have to be careful every day," he warned. "There is an obvious odour problem down there and no one can deny
that. What we now know is that the odour problem can be a health risk."
The hope is all of this will lead the Alberta government to make changes that will ultimately make enjoying Gold Bar
Park safer for your health, and more pleasant for your nose.
CANADA RANKED 14TH OUT OF 16 ON PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, CONFERENCE BOARD SAYS
A new report suggests Canada ranks 14th among 16 peer countries when it comes to environmental performance,
with only the United States and Australia doing worse.
The report by the Conference Board of Canada on Thursday gives Canada a "D" grade based on nine indicators
covering climate change, air pollution, and freshwater management.
On climate change, the agency says with 20.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per capita, Canada's greenhouse
gas emissions are among the highest of the peer countries, with only the U.S. and Australia faring worse.
However, Canada gets an "A" rating for low-emitting electricity generation. The report says with nearly 80 per cent of
Canada's electricity being generated from low-emitting sources such as hydro and nuclear power, Canada is behind
only Norway, Switzerland, France and Sweden.
Most of Canada's provinces rank poorly in the agency report, with only Ontario earning a "B" grade. Quebec, British
Columbia, and P.E.I. are given a "C" grade, Manitoba scored a "D" and Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and
Labrador, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were rated "D-minus."
The Conference Board says while some of Canada's poor grades can be explained by a large land mass, cold climate
and resource-intensive economy, the results suggest there is a long way to go towards improving environmental
performance.
GRAUER’S GORILLAS MAY SOON BE EXTINCT, CONSERVATIONISTS SAY
(Source: New York Times) The population of the world’s largest primate, the Grauer’s gorilla, has plummeted 77
percent over the last 20 years, with fewer than 3,800 remaining.
The Grauer’s gorilla, the world’s largest primate, has been a source of continual worry for conservationists for more
than two decades. Longstanding conflict in the deep jungles of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo left experts
with no choice but to guess at how that gorilla subspecies may be faring.
Now, with tensions abating somewhat, researchers finally have an updated gorilla head count — one that confirms
their fears. According to findings compiled by an international team of conservationists, Grauer’s gorilla populations
have plummeted 77 percent over the last 20 years, with fewer than 3,800 of the animals remaining.
“We suspected that the Grauer’s gorilla had declined because of all the insecurity in the region, but no one had an
idea of how much they’d declined by,” said Andrew Plumptre, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Albertine
Rift Program in Central and Eastern Africa. “It turns out that the rate of collapse pushes this subspecies to the verge
of extinction.”
Grauer’s gorillas — named after Rudolf Grauer, an Austrian explorer and zoologist who first recognized the apes as
a separate subspecies — resemble their close relative, the mountain gorilla, save for their longer limbs and shorter
hair. Although Grauer’s and mountain gorilla populations were once connected, years of isolation have left them
genetically distinct enough to warrant separate designations as eastern gorilla subspecies.
In 1994, the Wildlife Conservation Society conducted surveys in and around Kahuzi-Biega National Park, in what was
then eastern Zaire. Researchers estimated that 17,000 Grauer’s gorillas remained. But the Rwandan genocide that
year led to the gorillas’ precipitous decline.
An estimated 800,000 Rwandans were killed over a three-month period, while hundreds of thousands more fled to
neighboring Zaire. Some of those refugees formed militias such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of
Rwanda, and the forest served as their stronghold and hide-out.
Instability soon spread, leading to the overthrow of President Mobutu Sese Seko and civil war in the newly formed
Democratic Republic of Congo. From 1996 to 2003, that conflict cost the lives of an estimated five million people,
and also brought the formation of more armed groups, 69 of which continue to operate in the eastern part of the
country.
Bushmeat feeds many of them, and gorillas, which can weigh up to 400 pounds, prove easy and worthwhile targets.
To finance their efforts, many armed groups have also set up artisanal mining sites, nearly all illegal.
The International Peace Information Service, an independent research institute based in Belgium, has documented
more than 1,000 of these mines, and the Wildlife Conservation Society has counted at least 240 more within protected
areas and proposed protected areas. The mines attract untold numbers of outside workers, who also need to eat.
Although the fighting has ebbed somewhat over the last five years, the region today is by no means secure for people
or for animals. Eastern Congo “is just tragic on every level imaginable,” said Liz Williamson, a primatologist at the
University of Stirling in Scotland. “People there have been living through hell for 20 years.”
Those trying to protect the region’s flora and fauna are equally at risk. The Wildlife Conservation Society estimates
that 170 to 200 park rangers have been killed in eastern Congo since 1996.
Grauer’s gorilla populations fell 77 percent in 20 years, to fewer than 3,800. Credit Frans Lanting/National Geographic
Creative
“The government has been trying to go into some areas to disarm all these groups, but it’s not an easy job,” Dr.
Plumptre said. “In that large of a chunk of forest, finding people is difficult.”
Despite the danger, over the last few years, field teams of local residents, park staff members and scientists have
managed to undertake the most comprehensive survey of Grauer’s gorillas ever, covering 7,450 miles of their range.
Statistical analyses allowed Dr. Plumptre and his colleagues to estimate a total remaining population of fewer than
3,800.
All told, the researchers calculated a 77 percent decline in Grauer’s gorilla populations since 1994, although some
sites were hit harder than others. In and around Kahuzi-Biega National Park, for example, there has been an 87
percent decline.
Additionally, nearly 80 percent of the total losses took place over just one generation — a rate three times higher
than what is normally needed to officially declare an animal on the brink of extinction. Should this trend continue,
most Grauer’s gorillas will be gone within the next five to 10 years, Dr. Plumptre said.
Grauer’s gorillas are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but Dr. Plumptre
and his colleagues believe that their situation warrants immediate updating to critically endangered status. Dr.
Williamson submitted evidence this month supporting that change, and she expects approval by June.
While killing gorillas is already illegal in the country, declaring the subspecies as critically endangered would probably
bring more funding and support for saving it. Protecting the entirety of the gorilla’s 7,700-square-mile territory would
no doubt prove impossible, but Dr. Plumptre and his colleagues are talking with the government and community
leaders about establishing two new protected areas that would encompass 60 percent of the remaining gorillas’
habitat.
“I think people felt like this was a lost cause and not much could be done,” Dr. Williamson said. “But now W.C.S. is
really pushing to get boots on the ground and create these new national parks, which would really make a difference.”
Government commitment to saving the gorillas, she added, is essential.
There is some evidence that heightened protection and investment could work. In their surveys, the researchers
found that one gorilla population, in the highland sector of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, has increased to an estimated
200 from about 130 in 2000. That sector receives the most protection in the eastern national parks, and even
welcomes tourists.
“This shows that if you do invest in a site, you can stop the decline,” Dr. Plumptre said.
The researchers also plan to set up microcredit schemes — small loans with minimal interest that are intended to
help people living in poverty set up businesses — and employment opportunities for people from local communities
who are involved in mining. Additionally, they hope to establish a certification program for legitimate mining sites.
Some Western companies like Motorola, Nokia, BlackBerry, HP and Intel already work with a group called Solutions
for Hope to acquire conflict-free minerals. Dr. Plumptre imagines updating the conflict-free mineral listing to include
a “bushmeat-free” or “conservation-friendly” validation.
“If people started lobbying for gorilla-friendly cellphones and iPads, it would force the government of D.R.C. to take
this more seriously,” he said.
Radar Nishuli, the director of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, agreed that more engagement from people outside the
Democratic Republic of Congo was needed. “All of the world needs to support our efforts to save what’s still left of
the gorillas and their forest habitat, and to help the Congo get out of this war situation,” Dr. Nishuli said.
“I am optimistic that gorillas can still multiply, to the delight of all,” he added. “If I wasn’t, I would have already given
up this fight.”
SUMMIT LIABILITY SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF MERIDIAN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING
LTD. ACQUISITION
Calgary, Alberta – Summit Liability Solutions Inc. ("Summit" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has
completed its acquisition of Meridian Environmental Consulting Ltd. ("Meridian"). Meridian, which has approximately
20 employees, is a highly respected and leading privately-owned engineering consulting company in Canada.
"I have incredible respect for Mr. Bruce MacEachern and Mr. Lee Deibert and their company. As such I am
very excited about the degree of professionalism and for the growth opportunities our firms will generate by
joining forces," said Russel Orcutt, President of Summit. "This strategic union will enable us to pursue
contracts with a wider environmental scope and geographically strengthen our presence across Western
Canada. The resulting diversification will better position the Corporation to deliver superior value to our
customers and move our business plan forward. We are now even better equipped to deliver on our mission
to service our customers beyond their expectations, create a positive impact on the environment and maximize
value to our employees and stakeholders.”
Bruce MacEachern, President of Meridian Environmental Consulting Ltd., commented that: “This is a great
move that brings together two like-minded companies with complimentary cultures and skill sets. Partnering
with an organization like Summit will not only expand our geographic al footprint and introduce Meridian to
Summit’s loyal customers, it will expand the services and expertise we can offer our customers as well. Equally
important, both companies share the same fundamental values of providing exceptional technical services i n
a dynamic and employee oriented working environment. By leveraging our respective experience and
resources, we will be better positioned to provide superior value and growth potential to both our clients and
staff. I cannot think of two companies that represent a better fit."
ABOUT THE ACQUISITION
This is a strategic acquisition, a milestone for both organizations and the impact will be positive and
immediate. “Simply put, today we become a better company,” stated Mr. Orcutt. “This is a perfect example of
the sum being greater than the parts and we have added valuable resources that will create opportunity for
our organization.” Enhancing our technical services group and increasing our remediation expertise has been
a central focus of our business plan and bringing Meridian into the Summit Group achieves this initiative. “We
have a well-respected and technically strong operations team that has helped make Summit an industry
leader,” commented Mr. Orcutt. “By taking this step we will better support this grou p and further diversify our
technical teams. It will allow us to increase the capacity and scope of the projects we can manage and deliver
better overall service to our customers.” At the same time, Summit adds extensive reclamation depth and
experience to Meridian and introduces drilling waste management expertise and services to their customers.
In 2013, Summit started to develop a relationship with Fundy Engineering to support drafting, geotechnical
and hydrogeological services and introduce our services to the eastern market. Fundy is a mid-sized fullservice engineering-consulting company primarily serving Atlantic Canada and New England through offices
in Saint John, New
Brunswick, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Meridian’s engineers will further
support and optimize this relationship and allows Summit to provide services across Canada. The integration
of Meridian will increase our employee count and broaden our geographical presence by adding an office in
Edmonton, Alberta and Langham, Saskatchewan. It will also allow the companies to consolidate and optimize
corporate services which will also have a net benefit. “This is a positive mov e for our organization,” exclaims
Russel, “and we are excited to see what our two organizations can do by working as one.”
For more information contact:
Jeff Carratt
Vice President, Business Development
Summit Liability Solutions Inc.
Phone: 403.827.7028
Email: [email protected]
ESAA Member Charity Activities
ESAA is pleased to announce a new section in the ESAA Weekly News. This section will highlight charity
activities that members and staff are involved with. If you are involved with an event or a fundraiser, let us
know and will include it in a future newsletter. Send the details to: [email protected]
Jane Yetter of Integrated Environments is part of a team that’s raising money to
fund Camp Kindle, a summer camp in southern Alberta for kids with cancer
supported by Kids Cancer Care. To raise awareness, Kids Cancer Care hosts a 3day bicycle tour event through the Rocky Mountains, called the Tour for Kids. Riders
choose to cover 300 km to over 500 km in three days, depending on ability. While I
cannot ride this year due to other commitments, my team is still riding and I’m part of the fundraising efforts.
We have our annual evening fundraising event in the back garden at Rouge Restaurant, in Calgary on Thursday, June
2nd. Tickets are $150 ea and cover food, drink, and live music for the evening + a $100 donation to Camp Kindle. There
will be both live and silent auctions with really great items up for bid. It’s a small, intimate event, with only 150 tickets
sold. If you cannot attend on June 2nd but would still like to support families struggling with childhood cancer, you can
make a donation, or provide an item or service for auction.
More information can be found on our team website: http://ridewithrouge.com/ as well as links to donate funds, or to
purchase tickets to our fundraiser. To donate auction items, people can contact me directly: [email protected] or
587-583-2300.
The 2016 Enbridge® Ride to Conquer Cancer® benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation presented by Evraz is an
epic, two-day cycling event spanning over 200 kilometres. Join us on August 6-7, 2016 for the Ride of your life!
Kevin Hunsche of SITE Energy is participating in memory of his mother and mother-in-law. To support his efforts
visit: http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Alberta2016?px=4051180&pg=personal&fr_id=1572
Great Cycle Challenge encourages people of all ages and fitness levels to get on their bikes this June and ride to
fight kids' cancer!
Joe Chowaniec of ESAA has set a goal to rider 500 km in June.
visit: https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/JoeChowaniec
To support his efforts
ESAA Member News
TRACE ASSOCIATES OPENS NEW OFFICE: REGINA,
SASKATCHEWAN
Calgary, Alberta – Darrell Haight, President
and CEO of Trace Associates Inc. (Trace) is
pleased to announce the opening of a new Trace office in Regina, Saskatchewan. The
office is located at 1810 College Avenue, Regina.
Trace has recently opened an office in Regina to accommodate our growing team in
Saskatchewan. Our clients are located throughout Saskatchewan and Southern
Manitoba, and our Regina location complements our Saskatoon office.
“Our business is growing in Saskatchewan, and Regina was our next logical place for a
Trace office.” says Haight. “Saskatchewan is a great place to do business, and we are excited to serve our existing
and new clients with a local, made-in-Saskatchewan team.”
About Trace Associates Inc. Founded in 2006, Trace is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm
serving Western and Northern Canada. Trace’s team of energetic professionals is capable of managing and efficiently
completing all types of projects. We take pride in our enthusiasm, focus on safety, and client responsiveness.
Trace provides environmental consulting services to oil and gas, real estate, development, government, forestry,
mining, agriculture, and industrial clients during all stages of the project life cycle (planning, construction, operation,
decommissioning, and redevelopment).
For further information, contact:
Darrell J.I. Haight, B.Sc., P.Ag.
President and CEO
T 780.458.7787 ext. 113
E [email protected]
Upcoming Events
THE BUSINESS OF WATER – CANADIAN WATER SUMMIT 2016
Water is a critical resource for many industries and businesses. For packaged goods, food and beverage, mining,
technology and manufacturing, water is part of the corporate balance sheets and water resource management is an
opportunity for innovation. Join your peers on June 23, 2016, in downtown Toronto as we talk about the best
practices and innovations across the entire life cycle of water use and management by the major sectors of the
Canadian economy.
This year’s program includes panels on water clean-tech, food and beverage, consumer goods and manufacturing,
water infrastructure, and multi-sectoral partnerships. Visit www.watersummit.ca for updates and details.
Brilliant Design: The Latest Advancements in Water Quality Sensor Technology Free Webinar
Dear ESAA Member,
Not all multiparameter water quality sondes are the same. Which one is right for you?
Rice Engineering and In-Situ Inc. invite you to attend “Brilliant Design,” an educational webinar that will discuss the
advanced design of Aqua TROLL 600, the industry’s newest multiparameter water quality sonde.
Join Ashley Steinbach, Product Manager for Aqua TROLL 600, to hear how the user-centered approach to
sensor design has set a new standard in performance, usability, and cost of ownership. You will learn about the
many benefits of this new water quality platform, including:
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How smart sensors with self-diagnosing and auto-calibrating capabilities inspire a new level of confidence
in your data and analysis.
How intuitive, workflow-friendly software simultaneously increases your efficiency and reduces costs, from
sensor deployment to data collection.
How sensor construction and customization give you a single instrument that is versatile enough to be used
in mild and harsh environments, and for low-flow sampling and long-term saltwater deployments.
Don’t miss this opportunity to understand how Aqua TROLL 600 can help you get the most important water
quality projects done right, the first time.
Reserve your spot now by registering at: (Ctrl+Click to follow link)
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6154312200887891201
2016 ALBERTA SOIL TOUR
The Alberta Soil Science Workshop is glad to announce the 2016 Alberta Soil Tour scheduled for June 20 to June
22, 2016. This 3 day event will bring registered participants to Athabasca Oil Sands Region. The Tour will start in
Edmonton and will go to Ft. McMurray and back. The tour is a good opportunity for those working with soils, whether
the focus is soil conservation, land reclamation, or agronomy. Experts will provide background on soil formation and
the various soil profiles for each of the landscapes encountered during the tour. Various soil conservation, land
reclamation, and agronomy challenges will be addressed with site visits. Stops along the tour include wide variety of
soil sites:
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Natural soil catenas in boreal landscapes
Agricultural facilities at Wandering River, AB and Ft. McMurray, AB
Reclaimed sites at Syncrude and Suncor oil sands mines
Pipeline reclamation cases
Visit to the Oil Sands Discovery Center at Ft. McMurray
Registration is now open online at https://2016absoilstour.eventbrite.ca
More information is available at
http://www.soilsworkshop.ab.ca/soilstour.html