Simon Dyer, Oil Sands Program Director at the Pembina Institute, responded to the release of the paper "Oil sands development contributes elements toxic at low concentrations to the Athabasca River and its tributaries," published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"This is the second peer-reviewed study that shows definitively that oil sands development is contributing to pollution of the Athabasca watershed. These studies clearly contradict the Government of Alberta claims that pollution in the Athabasca River is natural.

"The governments of Alberta and Canada need to move from downplaying and denying oil sands environmental issues to seriously addressing pollution concerns.

"There is a need to halt oil sands expansion (such as Total E&P Canada's Joslyn North Mine Project) until credible monitoring is in place and pollution concerns are addressed."

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Contact:

Simon Dyer — Director, Oil Sands
Cell: 403-322-3937
Phone: 403-721-3937

Background:

Read the 2010 study from PNAS.

Read the Oil Sands Environmental Coalition's submission to oppose the Total Joslyn North Mine Project.

Read the 2009 study.