Can. Provinces Wonder What To Do W. Acid Rain From Oilsand Production

[hatrack]

Gee, way to stay ahead of the curve, guys!! :eyes:

Alberta and Saskatchewan have begun trying to figure out how to deal with increased pollution drifting over the boundary between them from rapidly expanding oilsands projects. "We already know that the oilsands do have quite a bit of emissions associated with the projects," said Paul James of Saskatchewan's environment department. "We are receiving some acidic deposition."

Consequently, bureaucrats from both provinces have blown the dust off a 2002 agreement on managing transboundary environmental effects, meeting several times this year after a long period of quiet. Figures released last month showed that acid rain, once considered a problem only in the eastern provinces, has begun damaging soils and lakes in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Already, 2% of the land tested in Saskatchewan has absorbed acid precipitation exceeding its critical load. Most of that land was in the northern section of the province, directly in the path of prevailing winds blowing from the oilsands region.

With $94 billion of oilsands expansion projects on the books, officials in both provinces are concerned about increasing emissions of acid rain-causing chemicals.

EDIT

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2006/10/10/1991964-sun.html