Imperial, a unit of Exxon Mobil Corp , first detected discoloured water near its Kearl site last May, but failed to update local First Nations communities when testing showed the water contained tailings, a waste product of mining. The tailings seepage only became widely publicised in early February after a second leak of 5,300 cubic metres from a drainage pond. "After analyzing the situation, it is clear the seepage was not communicated to affected communities in a timely or appropriate way by the company or the provincial regulator, nor was the federal government made aware in a timely manner. I find this deeply concerning," Canada's Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said in a statement on Monday. Guilbeault said the new Notification and Monitoring Working Group will include Indigenous leaders, federal and provincial governments, and oil sands company representatives. Its specific mandate will be established within the first two months of the group's formation, the statement added. (Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia, editing by Deepa Babington)
Messaging: nia.williams.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) By Nia Williams
April 17 (Reuters) - Canada on Monday released details
of a new working group to improve monitoring of environmental
risks from toxic tailings ponds in northern Alberta's oil sands,
in response to a months-long seepage from Imperial Oil's Kearl mine tin.
The update came as local First Nations community members
testified to a parliamentary committee in Ottawa on the impact
of the leak from Imperial's site and their concerns about lapses
in communication from the company and Alberta's energy
regulator.
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