WATCHING VOYAGEUR
Hearing into Suncor Energy’s next expansion concludes
The highly publicized regulatory hearing into Suncor Energy’s next expansion has ended. During the course of
11 days, the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) heard from a Suncor panel and a variety of stakeholders, including the unprecedented intervention of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. In the first four
days of the process, Suncor was cross-examined by its stakeholders. The following is a brief description of
what was under discussion from transcripts available at the EUB.
Hearing scope
The EUB hearing addressed two separate applications by Suncor:
construction of a third upgrader and the North Steepbank mine extension.
The expansion is a “critical step” in the company’s multiphased growth
strategy, designed to increase production capacity to 500,000 to
550,000 barrels per day between 2010 and 2012. The written EUB
decision is expected by year end.
Hearing interveners
- Alberta Government
- Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
- Canadian Natural Resources
Limited
- Clearwater River Paul Cree
Band #175
- Fort McKay First Nation Industrial
Relations Corporation
- Imperial Oil
- Metis Nation of Alberta Local
1935 (participant)
- Mikisew Cree First Nation
- Northern Lights Regional
Health Authority
- Oil Sands Environmental Coalition
- Regional Municipality of
Wood Buffalo
- Shell Canada
- Syncrude
- Synenco Energy
- Wood Buffalo First Nation
- Wood Buffalo Metis Locals
Association
Day 1 - July 5, 2006
- Suncor Energy presents direct
evidence for its expansion, framed
in the context of its overall growth
strategy
- Suncor details its contributions to
the community
- Cross-examination by Mikisew
Cree First Nation.
Under discussion:
• Expansion on Mikisew
Cree lands
• Stakeholder involvement
• Planned reclamation activities
and timelines
PHOTO: Joey Podlubny
Day 2 - July 6, 2006
- Cross-examination by Mikisew
Cree First Nation continues.
Under discussion:
• Reclamation plans
• Water quality monitoring
• Hydrogeology, models used
• Environmental management
systems
• Plans for pit lake
- Cross-examination by Athabasca
Chipewyan First Nation.
Under discussion:
• Regional air quality and air
shed limits, proposed
mitigation strategies, and
stakeholder input
• Wildlife movement upon
reclamation
• Consolidated tailings timelines
• Cancer rates in Fort
Chipewyan; Suncor says it
would support a study
- No questions from Canadian
Natural Resources Limited
