FEFCHAK: Alberta's Tailing Ponds - A Menace

[Oscar]

FEFCHAK: For World Water Day: Alberta’s Tailing Ponds – A Menace

From: John Fefchak
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2015 3:48 PM
To: BRANDON SUN NEWSPAPER ; MATT GOERZEN BRANDON SUN
Subject: Alberta's Tailing Ponds - A Menace

For World Water Day.

Letter to the Editor;

I am writing about Some facts about Alberta's oilsands tailing ponds, an article that was in the Brandon Sun, 13 Mar. (See EXCERPT BELOW)
[ http://www.brandonsun.com/national/brea ... html?thx=y ]

This development is a man-made Hiroshima, a destruction without the use of the Atom Bomb.

It is literally a menace to life and existence.

Water is the most important resource that all living things need to survive and exist on this planet, but at the oil sands it is treated with contempt.

It is poisoned, contaminated and ravaged by the industries relentless search and processing of the black gold - all with the approval of our government(s).

Little caring and not registering that when this precious life sustaining liquid is polluted and undrinkable, we will be exterminating ourselves to extinction.

For whatever humans do to the web strands of life, we ultimately do to ourselves.

Will we, as a society, ever learn? Perhaps, but as in most cases, only after it is too late.

According to oil executives of the biggest energy companies, some of us are in the land of make-believe and are being misled by sensational news coverage and unfounded allegations.

I do not agree. When I read and see photographs representing some of the 17,600 hectares (44,000 acres) of tailing ponds that presently exist, all with a toxic blend of hydrocarbons, silt, salts and heavy minerals and, admittedly, a lingering headache for the industry, I also get concerned, as we all should be.

I do not believe these news clips are unfounded as suggested, but are, in fact, a grim reality.

Further more, talks have been underway about conditions under which tailing ponds could be released into the environment.

A year ago, it was confirmed that tailing ponds are leaking into the ground and polluting the Athabasca River.

It seems to me that humans are quite willing to allow themselves to be terminated in the process of promoting economic benefits to the oil masters, with the blessings of the federal government.


John Fefchak,
Virden, Man.
204-748-2521

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Some facts about Alberta's oilsands tailing ponds

[ http://www.brandonsun.com/national/brea ... html?thx=y ]

By: The Canadian Press Friday, Mar. 13, 2015 at 2:49 PM |

EDMONTON - Here a few facts about Alberta's oilsands tailings ponds:

EXCERPT:

Are they a danger? Yes. Recent research has found tailings ponds release more than a tonne of toxic hydrocarbons into the atmosphere every year. Mathematical models suggest millions of litres of tailings seep into groundwater yearly, a conclusion backed up by a new Environment Canada study that found chemical fingerprints similar to those of tailings in groundwater. Alberta says seepage is controlled and any that escapes goes harmlessly into bedrock. Several ponds are along the Athabasca River, making dam failures potentially catastrophic. Thousands of migrating ducks and geese have died after landing on the ponds.

How did we get to this point? Alberta brought in tough regulations on cleaning up the ponds in 2009, but none of the operators were able to meet the deadlines. Companies have spent millions on research, with some promising results, but no final answers.