[Vision2020] Tar Soaked Dead Ducks May Cost Big Oil $482 Million

[nickgier at roadrunner.com]

Good Morning Visionaries:

In Canada there is justice for ducks.  A judge has ruled that Syncrude is responsible for the deaths of 1606 ducks that died after landing in a tar sands waste lake.  The judge ruled that the law requires that companies such as Syncrude must take all due precaution to keep wildlife away from their poisonous waste. Canadian law requires compensation at $300,000 per bird, but the judge has not fixed the fine yet.

This was been a huge PR black eye for the conservative government of Alberta as pictures of the tragedy went round the world.

For some pictures of Syncrude's "lakes" and operations go to www.businessinsider.com/canada-tar-sands-pictures-2010-7#and-more-oily-pictures-17

Here is the full story from the Calary Herald, June 30, 2010:

CALGARY — On the heels of the guilty verdict in the Syncrude ducks trial, provincial Energy Minister Ron Liepert says the case has been overblown at home and hasn't eroded Alberta's environmental reputation internationally.

But the minister's comments, delivered Wednesday while on a government mission in the Middle East, were condemned by environmental groups and opposition parties, who believe Liepert is burying his head in the oilsands.

Syncrude was found guilty of federal and provincial environmental charges on Friday, with sentencing to be determined over the next few months.

About 1,600 ducks perished in a toxic Syncrude tailings pond in April 2008 after the company failed to deploy deterrent devices — including sound cannons and human effigies — to prevent birds from landing.

The company was charged under the Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act for storing a hazardous substance in a manner enabling it to contaminate wildlife, and under the federal Migratory Bird Convention Act that prohibits the deposit of substances harmful to migratory birds in areas they frequent.

Liepert, however, downplayed the ruling and said there are larger energy issues to address.

"Business has to operate within the environmental standards that are set. When it is deemed that those standards are breached, action is taken. But this particular case has been highly overpublicized by the media and special interest groups," Liepert said in Doha, Qatar.

"We've got bigger issues to deal with globally."

The minister also rejected concerns that the dead ducks and trial have damaged Alberta's reputation around the world. Rather, he said the province must ramp up its efforts to counter misinformation about development of the oilsands, the second-largest proven oil reserves in the world next to Saudi Arabia.

"Clearly there has been a global campaign by special interest groups — highly funded — to discredit the oilsands," Liepert added.

"We believe that it is time to engage the public in a truth campaign, and so we will spend the dollars required to ensure that Canadians and those outside Canada understand the importance of the oilsands."

Alberta Wildrose Alliance Leader Danielle Smith agrees with Liepert that government must counter misinformation on oilsands development.

However, she said the minister is completely "misreading" public sentiment — both at home and internationally — on the dead ducks and concerns about the environmental footprint of oilsands development on land, air and water.

"There are serious environmental issues in developing the resource. I don't think we do ourselves any favours by shrugging it off and saying it doesn't really matter, because it does matter," Smith said. "The danger is the international community isn't going to think we're serious about developing this resource in a way that's respectful to the environment."

Syncrude faces a maximum $500,000 provincial fine in the case, while the federal government hasn't ruled out seeking a $300,000 fine for each of the 1,606 ducks that died. The judge will rule on Aug. 20 whether the company can be convicted on both provincial and federal charges, given their similarity. Sentencing will follow.

Simon Dyer, director of the oilsands file for the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based environmental research group, said the case has certainly damaged Alberta's environmental credentials. What's more, it has introduced many domestic and international observers to the toxic tailings ponds, an environmental issue that wasn't as widely recognized before the ducks died.

"The oilsands don't have a public relations problem, they have an environmental impact problem," Dyer said. "We need to demonstrate (environmental) performance first and communicate later."

Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason said Liepert "clearly doesn't respect the court's decision." The minister is going out of his way to be an apologist for the oilsands industry, he said, and ignoring the serious environmental challenges.

"They've allowed a very serious problem to develop, which has given Alberta a black eye," Mason said, adding it's inappropriate for the minister to downplay the issue as the court prepares to determine sentencing.

"I think he should keep his yap shut and let the courts do their job."

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Syncrude+guilty+verdict+ducks+deaths+highly+overpublicized+says+Alberta+energy+minister/3221558/story.html#ixzz0tfurM0Vf