A committee of independent scientists will be created to review water monitoring data collected from Alberta’s oil sands region.  “Understanding the impact of the oil sands industry on the watershed of northeastern Alberta is absolutely critical. We need to have total and complete assurance in data before we make decisions on how best to balance environmental protection with development.  Albertans deserve to have this assurance as well,” said Environment Minister Rob Renner. As directed by Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, the government is in the process of contacting scientists from a list of candidates brought forward by Dr. David Schindler and Alberta Environment experts to create a third-party committee to review environmental data.  The committee is expected to be finalised within about a week.

The focus of the committee will be to examine monitoring data and methodology of both government and academic research findings.  They will also investigate whether data is consistent with historical values in the region and explain the relevance of any differences and gaps that may exist.  The process is expected to be completed by February 2011.

“We all agree that everyone wants the best information possible when it comes to the impacts of oil sands development,” said Renner.  “By creating an independent review committee, I feel we are one step closer to having the clarity we all need.”

Terms of Reference:

• Review the methods of the two papers published by Kelly et al (Schindler) in Proceedings of the National Assembly of Science for their ability to address the proportion of compound load from natural and industrial sources

• Review the data handling and statistical techniques applied

• Review the data presented within the context of historic data (from Government of Alberta and sources used by government) from these or similar representative sites in the region. Ascertain if the data are consistent and comment on the relevance of differences, and identify gaps

• Review Government of Alberta surface water data and the recent time series report documenting trends in the Athabasca River

• Review the conclusions of both sets of work from both Kelly et al and the Alberta government with respect to the risks related to identified gaps and differences in data and any related impact on outcomes reached in the use of that data.