Death Lurking In Alberta Oilsands

Alberta oil sands have just claimed the lives of 30 Blue Herons. which have been found dead at Syncrude’s oil facility at Mildred Lake north of Ft.McMurray. And that is not the first time the same company is guilty of negligence in preventing massive death of wildlife. The big question is whether death of birds along toxic ponds is preventable at all. After all tailing ponds are highly toxic waste water reservoirs, containing massive chemicals which are used to separate out the tar from the oilsands.  Not a lake….but one of many Alberta’s toxic tailing ponds. And even though this case did not happen directly at a tailing pond, it shows that the area’s general pollution with oil and tar is totally out of any control, especially after the reign of 44 years with a conservative oil-corrupt government. Alberta's Energy Regulator (AER) says it is looking into what killed the birds at Syncrude's Mildred Lake facility, about 40 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, Alta. Bob Curran, a spokesman for the agency, says a Syncrude worker found one of the heron Wednesday. The animal was alive, but had to be euthanized. After the company searched the area, they found the rest of the birds dead in a run-off pond. Officials at Syncrude could not immediately be reached for comment. (Of course not, they never are) Five years ago, Syncrude was fined $3 million after 1,600 ducks died after landing on a tailings pond at a different facility in 2008. Last November, 122 birds were killed after landing in three tailings ponds in the area, including one at Mildred Lake. Curran said in that case, the wildlife deterrents were working properly and severe weather forced the animals to land in the ponds. So now birds are prohibited to fly under severe weather conditions as they have to do an emergency landing on a toxic tailing pond. I guess it’s the price we pay to have gas in our vehicles. Very sad!