Imperial Oil faces federal order to stop seepage as tailings leak deemed harmful to wildlife – CBC

Mar 14, 2023

Leak at Kearl mine believed to be ‘deleterious, or harmful, to fish’

Federal inspectors have ruled a release of oilsands wastewater from Imperial Oil Ltd.’s Kearl mine is harmful to wildlife and have ordered the company to take immediate action to stop seepage from a tailings pond.

“Based on information enforcement officers have to date, the seep is believed to be deleterious, or harmful, to fish,” Environment Canada spokesperson Nicole Allen said in a statement.

“On March 10, 2023, enforcement officers issued a Fisheries Act direction to Imperial Oil. The direction requires immediate action to contain the seep and prevent it from entering a fish-bearing waterbody.”

Seepage from the Kearl site about 70 kilometres from Fort McMurray, Alta., was first noticed in May, but neither Imperial nor the Alberta Energy Regulator kept local First Nations or provincial and federal environment officials briefed.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/kearl-imperial-oilsands-leak-1.6778165