Amiskwaciwâskahikan/Edmonton | Moh’kinstsis/Calgary, AB – The Government of Alberta has continued their holiday tradition of releasing bad environmental news right before the holidays. The draft South Athabasca Sub-Regional Plan (SRP), released on Wednesday, December 17, is a land-use plan that cedes ground to industry and walks back commitments to recover caribou habitat.
CPAWS Northern Alberta, Alberta Wilderness Association, Nature Alberta, and the Alberta Chapter of the Wildlife Society are concerned with the worsening of land-use plans in the area. Rather than advancing the previously developed Cold Lake SRP and the nearly complete Wandering River SRP, the Government of Alberta chose to combine them into a single, new draft plan. This move ignores many years of collaborative work done to develop plans that address the degradation of this heavily industrialized landscape and support caribou recovery.
This plan was completed without the inclusion of environmental organizations and removes commitments to recover boreal woodland caribou habitat to the required state of 65 percent undisturbed — a commitment included in the previous Cold Lake plan for this region.
“This plan appears to neglect the guardrails that are desperately needed to manage the cumulative impacts of industry on the boreal forest,” says Pamela Narváez-Torres, Conservation Specialist with Alberta Wilderness Association. “Without clear, enforceable caribou habitat goals, there is no meaningful way to hold industry or government accountable for recovery.”
Overlapping industrial operations, including oil and gas, have caused ongoing harm to communities, wildlife, land, and water. Additionally, oil-sands operators have no proven or approved solutions for their growing tailings management problems.
“Instead of taking the opportunity to address the harm caused by industrial development, the draft plan literally doubles down on the industry,” says Tara Russell, Program Director with CPAWS Northern Alberta. “The draft plan commits to doubling oil and gas production in the South-Athabasca sub-region — a reckless decision that will further threaten the health and well-being of all who call this landscape home.”
The draft South Athabasca Sub-Regional Plan will open for consultation on January 9 and close on April 9.
Read more here: https://www.alberta.ca/south-athabasca-sub-regional-plan-engagement
For more information please contact:
Media Contacts:
Tara Russell, Program Director, CPAWS Northern Alberta
[email protected]
Pamela Narváez-Torres, Conservation Specialist, Alberta Wilderness Association
[email protected]
Kirby Smith, Conservation Affairs Committee Member, Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society
[email protected]
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