Effects of coal mine spill to be felt for years to come

First Nations are slamming the Alberta government for lack of communication, slow action and inadequate steps taken to deal with what is believed to be the largest coal slurry spill in Canadian history.

The breach at Sherritt International’s Obed Mountain Coal Mine from a pit 30 km east of Hinton occurred Oct. 31 and released approximately 670 million litres of contaminated water into two tributaries leading to the Athabasca River.

It took Alberta Environment until Nov. 19 to issue an environmental protection order to Coal Valley Resources Inc. and Sherritt International Corp.

That’s not acceptable, says Eriel Deranger, communications officer with the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, which was not among the 10 communities on the government’s list to notify immediately after the spill.

“We’re supposed to have world class monitoring environmental standards in this province. We just recently developed the Alberta Energy Regulator to help ensure the safety of this province. We have an environment minister and Alberta government touting the new environmental protection (and enhancement) act, but what we’ve seen instead of these world class systems in Alberta, is a three week delay of a clean-up order for the largest spill in Canadian history,” said Deranger.

The ACFN had scientist Bruce Maclean, from Maclean Environmental Consulting, look at the data of the spill contents provided by Sherritt and the government, and he confirms there is reason for concern.

“There’s long-term implications that aren’t really fully understood and won’t be understood until the spring time,” said Deranger. “The plume will only present a temporary risk to the water right now, but what will it mean to the health of the river system come spring?”

For ACFN members who live off the land, as well as wildlife, the impact will be distressing.

ACFN is calling for the resignations of Environment Minister Diane McQueen and Alberta Energy Regulator chair Gerry Protti.

Jesse Cardinal, coordinator with the Keepers of the Athabasca Cardinal, says her organization has also called for Protti’s resignation and joins the ACFN in criticizing McQueen’s handling of the situation.

“She has shown very questionable leadership through all of this. She was quoted on record saying everything was fine when the chief medical officer said everything wasn’t fine,” said Cardinal. “The government has lost their trust with the public in my eye.”

The Keepers of the Athabasca established an informal task force working with independent scientists, including US coal specialist Donna Lisinby, and members of the ACFN, Mikisew Cree and Alexander First Nation. There are concerns about the plume, which Alberta Environment initially said contained “such things as clay and organic matter” and wasn’t a health concern. However, the government followed up two days after the spill saying “municipalities are being advised not to draw water from the Athabasca River until further analysis is done.” Farmers were also told not allow livestock to drink from the river.

“Heavy metals are cancer causing and they all sink to the bottom and (the government) hasn’t provided the sediment results, which is the one that’s going to cause the most harm,”  said Cardinal. She notes that the government has provided only limited information.

MiningWatch Canada says in a news release that “in sharp contrast to the descriptions provided by the Alberta government, data submitted by Sherritt to the National Pollutant Release Inventory indicate that tonnes of highly toxic materials were being dumped into the ponds every year.” The toxic substances include carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

“It’s already been confirmed that there’s been harm to fish and fish habitat,” said Cardinal. “The sediment doesn’t just settle and stay so the people in the Athabasca watershed are going to be having to deal with this spill for years to come.”

Although Alexander First Nation and the Alexis Dakota Sioux Nation were on the initial contact list, both deny having heard formally of the incident, while the Alexis Dakota Sioux is decrying the government’s actions which have been taken without consultation with the First Nation.

In a news release issued by the Assembly of First Nations, Alberta Regional Chief Cameron Alexis said, “It is quite astounding and frustrating that most First Nations living near the river were not advised or consulted on this disaster. Those responsible with the entire process of cleanup need to work closely with First Nations.”