Wall wants federal money to clean up SK abandoned oil wells

[Oscar]

Wall asks feds for money to get Saskatchewan oil workers back on the job, cleaning abandoned wells

[ http://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan ... oned-wells ]

D.C. Fraser More from D.C. Fraser Published on: February 9, 2016 | Last Updated: February 9, 2016 6:29 AM CST

Premier Brad Wall is pitching an idea to the federal government to get Saskatchewan energy workers back on the job.

A few weeks ago, Wall said he spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about getting $156 million in federal funding to pay for the cleanup of abandoned oil and gas wells around the province.

“We just think this a good source of transition help,” said Wall, adding Trudeau and Regina MP Ralph Goodale were open-minded about the idea.

Wall’s number crunchers say the investment would create about 1,200 jobs in the energy sector and help clean up about 1,000 abandoned wells. Because of previous experience in the industry, many of those jobs would go to energy-sector employees struggling because of oil’s low price.

“It’s not perfect. No program is going to be perfect. Thirty-dollar oil isn’t perfect,” he said.

The premier said he appreciates Trudeau’s commitment to the Prairies in extending employment insurance and offering money for infrastructure during the hard economic times.

Those are, in Wall’s mind, only part of the solution.

“This particular initiative we think would have a more direct impact on those affected,” he said, adding many energy workers are being kept on the job at reduced hours rather than being laid off, or are private contractors not eligible for employment insurance.

Brothers Dan and Matt Cugnet from Weyburn-based Valleyview Petroleum first brought the idea of getting money to clean up abandoned wells to the premier’s office.

“We think it’s a great step for getting people back to work and continue the environmental initiatives that the industry wants to keep going with,” said Dan.

In 2012, then-auditor Bonnie Lysyk criticized the way Wall’s government was cleaning up orphan wells, or wells where there is no legally responsible or financially able company to do a proper abandonment.

She estimated there were potentially 700 orphan wells in the province. At the time, then-energy minister Tim McMillan disputed that number. On Monday, Wall said there were about 100 orphan wells in the province. According to the province, there are over 20,500 suspended wells in the province; many of which are waiting to be decommissioned and reclaimed.

Industry does pay a fee — essentially a tax — to the province to clean up orphan wells.

MORE:

[ http://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan ... oned-wells ]

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Where did Tory-Touted ‘Free Market’ Go? More theft by the oil & gas industry enabled by a politician? Premier Brad Wall begs Ottawa to make Canadians pay to clean up after billion dollar profiting oil & gas companies finish ravaging Saskatchewan

[ http://www.ernstversusencana.ca/where-d ... rofiting-o ]

Posted on February 8, 2016 by admin

EXCERPT

Wall asks feds for money to get Saskatchewan oil workers back on the job, cleaning abandoned wells by D.C. Fraser, Regina Leader-Post, February 7, 2016, Edmonton Journal
[ http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/wal ... story.html ]

Wall proposes federal funding for clean-up of wells

Premier Brad Wall is pitching an idea to the federal government to get Saskatchewan energy workers back on the job.
A few weeks ago, Wall said he spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about getting $156 million in federal funding to pay for the cleanup of abandoned oil and gas wells around the province.

“We just think this a good source of transition help,” said Wall, adding Trudeau and Regina MP Ralph Goodale were open-minded about the idea.

Wall’s number crunchers say the investment would create about 1,200 jobs in the energy sector and help clean up about 1,000 abandoned wells. Because of previous experience in the industry, many of those jobs would go to energy-sector employees struggling because of oil’s low price.

“It’s not perfect. No program is going to be perfect. Thirty-dollar oil isn’t perfect,” he said.

The premier said he appreciates Trudeau’s commitment to the Prairies in extending employment insurance and offering money for infrastructure during the hard economic times.

Those are, in Wall’s mind, only part of the solution.

“This particular initiative we think would have a more direct impact on those affected,” he said, adding many energy workers are being kept on the job at reduced hours rather than being laid off, or are private contractors not eligible for employment insurance.

Brothers Dan and Matt Cugnet from Weyburn-based Valleyview Petroleum first brought the idea of getting money to clean up abandoned wells to the premier’s office.

“We think it’s a great step for getting people back to work and continue the environmental initiatives that the industry wants to keep going with,” said Dan. [But wants to make ordinary Canadians pay for after taking billions of dollars out of the province? How low can Brad Wall and the oil and gas industry go?]

In 2012, then-auditor Bonnie Lysyk criticized the way Wall’s government was cleaning up orphan wells, or wells where there is no legally responsible or financially able company to do a proper abandonment.

She estimated there were potentially 700 orphan wells in the province. At the time, then-energy minister Tim McMillan disputed that number. On Monday, Wall said there were about 100 orphan wells in the province. According to the province, there are over 20,500 suspended wells in the province; many of which are waiting to be decommissioned and reclaimed.

Industry does pay a fee — essentially a tax — to the province to clean up orphan wells. [How much? As insignificant an amount as in Alberta?]

Wall said that if the price of oil remains low, there is a chance more wells will become orphaned as companies go out of business. [Why don’t any provinces make the companies pay before they drill, for complete clean up and abandonment costs, with a $100,000 retainer in case of leaks, spills, accidents, road damages, etc? The solutions have always been easy and simple, but no politician has the courage to make industry do right by the resource owners in Canada]

Money from the federal government to potentially support those companies, he argues, could help prevent that. [Whatever happened to the Tory-touted “Free Market?” Who pays for the endless cases of contamination? Who pays to help the Kerrs? Who pays for the livestock killed by sour gas? The health harms caused to families? The road damages? The lost farm land?]

The federal government doesn’t have a legal responsibly to clean up orphan wells, but Wall charged they do have a responsibility to help Saskatchewan’s busting economy.

“In terms of helping the energy sector, that’s their obligation,” he said.

[Oscar]

A reason to re-elect the Sask Party on April 4?

From: Elaine Hughes [mailto:tybach@sasktel.net]
Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2016 8:03 AM
To: Office of the Premier
Cc: SK Envir. Society; CDN.GVT. - MCKENNA, C.-Env.Climate; CDN.GVT. - GOODALE, R.-Pub.Safety; SK NDP - BROTEN, C. - Leader; Minister ECON; CoCdns - Energy - Harden-Donahue, Andrea
Subject: Council of Canadians proposes alternatives for federal infrastructure spending

Mr. Wall

. . . . in case you’re looking for a reason SK should re-elect the Sask Party on April 4:

We DO NOT need to (mis)use federal Infrastructure funds to keep fossil fuel industry on ‘life support’ by cleaning up despicable mess left behind by irresponsible, ‘corporate welfare seeking’ fossil fuel companies! “Wall asks feds for money to get Saskatchewan oil workers back on the job, cleaning abandoned wells” [ http://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan ... oned-wells ]

We DO need to invest in sustainable, common sense renewable energy projects – thousands of good jobs are out there, waiting – today!

What are YOU waiting for???



Elaine Hughes
ARCHERWILL, SK

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Council of Canadians proposes alternatives for federal infrastructure spending

[ http://canadians.org/blog/council-canad ... e-spending ]

February 6, 2016 - 7:45am

- - - -

QUOTE FROM : Green, Decent and Public - 2009
[ http://canadians.org/sites/default/file ... 0Final.pdf ]
"As many as 18,000 jobs are created for every $1 billion of investment in energy conservation and renewable energy systems. The average renewable energy investment creates four times as many jobs as the same investment in the fossil fuel economy."
"The federal government should provide an economic stimulus of at least $10 billion over each of the next two years. Such a program, mainly directed to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects including building retrofits and public transit, would create at least 200,000 jobs."

- - - - -

Could the promised $60 billion in federal infrastructure spending over the next ten years help us achieve the goal of limiting global warming to under 1.5 degrees Celsius? Yes, if it is invested in sustainable energy projects and climate jobs; no if it's spent on bigger highways and carbon-intensive projects like the Energy East and Trans Mountain pipelines are approved. Is the political will there to translate the promise of "sunny ways" into solar power and a 100 per cent clean economy by 2050?

During the last federal election, the Liberals promised to "make the New Building Canada Fund more focused." They said, "By providing significant, separate investments in public transit, social infrastructure and green infrastructure, we will enable the New Building Canada Fund to make greater investments in Canada’s roads, bridges, transportation corridors, ports and border gateways, helping Canada’s manufacturers get their goods to market. We will also make the fund more transparent, by providing clearer project criteria, alongside faster approval processes."

On Jan. 24, just before Parliament began its new session this year, the Canadian Press reported, "Increased infrastructure spending is one of the first priorities, given the state of the economy. Infrastructure Minister Amerjeet Sohi says he’s talking to the provinces about how to allocate existing cash from the $10 billion New Building Canada fund set up under the previous government." [ http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016 ... plans.html ] The newspaper explains the Liberals promised a 10-year, $60-billion fund during the election, of which they pledged to spend $20 billion over the next two years on infrastructure (half of which had already been budgeted by the Conservatives).

Then on Feb. 4, the Edmonton Journal reported that the federal government would fast-track $700 million in spending to help boost Alberta's economy given it is being battered by low oil prices. This is funding that had been announced by the Harper government in 2014 but had not yet been allocated. The newspaper notes, "Trudeau said the federal government has committed to quickly provide the struggling province with [the] previously announced infrastructure funding through the Building Canada Fund. ...A list of projects wasn’t immediately available, but [Sohi] said his department is working to review and approve Alberta’s funding application as quickly as possible." [ http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/ ... n-edmonton ]

While we can certainly hope that list includes public transit and other climate-friendly measures, the Edmonton Journal adds that the prime minister and Alberta premier Rachel Notley "also committed ... to jointly promote energy infrastructure such as pipelines and the importance of increasing Alberta’s market access." This is a concern.

Vancouver-based transportation consultant Eric Doherty, who is also a member of the Council of Canadians Vancouver-Burnaby chapter, has written, "Given Trudeau’s statements on the seriousness of the climate crisis, you might expect that the multi-billion dollar infrastructure program he ran on in the election would already be targeted to reduce carbon pollution. You would be wrong."

In an op-ed published in the Vancouver Sun, Doherty writes, "The federal Liberals ‘historic infrastructure plan’ acknowledges that infrastructure will need to be beefed up to deal with climate impacts such as flooding from more intense storms and rising sea levels. But when it comes to reducing the carbon pollution that threatens everything humans value, the plan is silent. And that leaves open a big door to provincial, municipal and regional governments getting billions in federal funds for projects that make the climate crisis worse. There is money in Trudeau’s budget allocated to a public transit fund which can reduce carbon pollution, but even ‘green infrastructure’ is mainly focused on replacing sewer pipes and the like rather than reducing carbon pollution." [ http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/ ... =d679-a0a6 ]

Doherty highlights that British Columbia Premier Christy Clark is asking for freeway expansion funding from the Trudeau government. This funding would go toward replacing the four-lane Massey Tunnel that connects Delta and Richmond with a $3 billion, 10-lane freeway bridge. He adds, "Ontario’s Highway 427 Expansion project in Metro Toronto is proceeding with barely a mention of climate or carbon pollution. Similarly, Infrastructure Canada’s web page is silent on the increased climate pollution that will be caused by widening the federal portion of Autoroute 15 in Montreal."

Doherty concludes, "Let’s help Justin succeed in this tough work, by demanding that not one dollar of public infrastructure money go to increase carbon pollution."

In December 2009, the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Labour Congress jointly released a paper titled Green, Decent and Public. [ http://canadians.org/sites/default/file ... 0Final.pdf ] The paper argued that reducing emissions and addressing the climate crisis as an engine for green job creation. Authors Andrea Harden-Donahue and Andrea Peart stated, "As many as 18,000 jobs are created for every $1 billion of investment in energy conservation and renewable energy systems. The average renewable energy investment creates four times as many jobs as the same investment in the fossil fuel economy."

They proposed, "The federal government should provide an economic stimulus of at least $10 billion over each of the next two years. Such a program, mainly directed to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects including building retrofits and public transit, would create at least 200,000 jobs."

With a $60 billion infrastructure budget now in place, this promise of jobs could be made a reality. The Council of Canadians calls on the Trudeau government to pursue this vision.

Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]

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Wall asks feds for money to get Saskatchewan oil workers back on the job, cleaning abandoned wells
[ http://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan ... oned-wells ]
Last Updated: February 9, 2016 6:29 AM CST
Premier Brad Wall is pitching an idea to the federal government to get Saskatchewan energy workers back on the job. [ . . . . .]

[Oscar]

Premier Wall's Letter - February 22, 2016

pcu-regina

February 22, 2016

Elaine Hughes
(tybach@sasktel.net)

Dear Ms. Hughes:

Thank you for your email of February 9, 2016, regarding the proposed Accelerated Well Cleanup Program (AWCP) in Saskatchewan.

Our government has requested the federal government to fully fund a $156 million stimulus initiative to support employment related to the oil and gas industry through an Accelerated Well Cleanup program.

The oil and gas industry is an important contributor to both Saskatchewan’s economy and Canada’s economy through the generation of jobs, investments and revenue to government. The AWCP provides support for growing employment in the province, and will assist individuals, families and communities struggling to deal with the economic impacts of low oil prices. An estimated 1,200 direct and indirect jobs will be provided by the program, with an estimated 1,000 wells cleaned up and decommissioned.

Accelerating the decommissioning of wells will have environmental benefits in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring that the sites are restored to their natural state. A further benefit includes restoring agricultural land and critical habitat.
The oil and gas industry is routinely engaged in well cleanups and is continuing to do so during this time of low oil prices. This initiative is intended to help accelerate those efforts and keep and re-employ people in this sector.

Thank you for writing and providing your views.

Brad Wall
Premier