Alberta releases new plan for managing oilsands tailings ponds
Posted Mar 13, 2015 02:05:07 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
EDMONTON – The Alberta government has released a new plan for managing oilsands tailings ponds that it says will encourage companies to generate less of the toxic waste water and clean it up sooner.
Environment Minister Kyle Fawcett says operators will have clear guidelines on how big their tailings ponds can be and how large they will be allowed to grow over the life of a mine.
He says the guidelines will encourage companies to invest in cleanup technologies.
He acknowledges that the plan depends on companies coming up with solutions that don’t yet exist.
It’s the second time the government has tried to create rules around tailings cleanup.
The first attempt foundered when companies were unable to meet the regulations.
