Fort McKay buffer zone rejected in development proposal

Despite protestations from the Fort McKay First Nation, the Alberta Energy Regulator has approved the Brion Energy (formerly Dover Opco) project application for the extraction of bitumen in an area adjacent to the Fort McKay reserve lands near Moose Lake. In an April hearing, Fort McKay requested a 20 km “no development buffer zone” around the Moose Lake reserve lands to protect the area’s cultural and environmental integrity. “The fight to protect Moose Lake is not over. Fort McKay is gearing up to mount a rigorous opposition to the Brion Energy project until a satisfactory solution is found,” said Chief Jim Boucher in a news release. In addition to the requested buffer zone, Fort McKay proposed several solutions to the Alberta government to decrease the effects of oil sands development on the Moose Lake area while still allowing the same volume of bitumen to be extracted over the long term. Fort McKay is not opposed to the entire project but specifically to the portion adjacent to Moose Lake. The AER set 10 conditions for Brion Energy as part of its approval. Cabinet must now give the nod to the project.