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Debate ensues over oilsand panel as member quits
News Articles Featured | Calgary Herald | February 02, 2011
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CALGARY – Just days after the makeup of a provincial panel meant to revamp oilsands monitoring was announced, an American member has quit saying there’s not enough scientists in the group and the Alberta government wants to muzzle free discussion.
“I’m concerned that First Nations may think this is yet another snow job by a bunch of experts who speak a lot of technical speak,” said Helen Ingram, a University of California-Irvine professor emeritus who specializes in public policy on water resources.
However, Alberta Environment argues there are eight scientists on the panel with PhDs, and rules governing disclosure of information by panel members have yet to be finalized.
Ingram and 11 others were named by Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner last Thursday as members of a panel to provide recommendations for creating a “world-class environmental monitoring system” for the oilsands.
The group, which meets for the first time next week, is co-chaired by Hal Kvisle, who retired as president and chief executive of TransCanada Corp. last year, but is still an adviser to the pipeline company. TransCanada moves thousands of barrels per day of oilsands products to market and is seeking environmental approval for the $7-billion Keystone XL project to transport more bitumen to U.S. refiners.
The other co-chair is Howard Tennant, the former president and vice-chancellor of the University of Lethbridge. Other members include public health experts, biological science and geology professors, environmental consultants, a vice-president from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and a former adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Even though she’s “really . . . concerned that the tarsands get appropriate monitoring,” Ingram gave her notice on Tuesday.
Her three main concerns were that the panel schedule set doesn’t allow for her to attend key meetings, there are too few physical scientists – such as hydrologists – on the panel, and early instructions suggested she and other members would not be able to discuss oilsands issues with scientific colleagues or others without first getting the permission of the minister.
Ingram said she’s used to some level of confidentiality while sitting on panels, but this seemed a step too far.
“You have to have pretty clear access to people,” she said. “You have to refer to things that you’re already talking about. You can’t act like all the panel deliberations are absolutely secret.”
The scheduling that left her out, she added, was a sign that her opinion didn’t actually have much value. Ingram was also concerned there is no native panel member, and the whole thing “seemed rushed.”
kcryderman@calgaryherald.com
Tagged with: alberta, rob renner, water management, helen ingram, hal kvisle
