An Information Service for Alberta’s Environment Industry The Week Ending December 13th, 2013 ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS 2014 - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN – 35% SOLD OUT Inside this Issue: February 10-12, 2014 • WaterTech 2014 Call for Edmonton Marriott @ River Cree Resort and Casino Abstracts Deadline ESAA is pleased to announce that registration for the Environment Business Professional • AER Regulatory Development courses (EB 2014), is now open. There is a limit of 25 registrations per Document course. Courses filled up quickly for EB 2013. • Cabinet Shuffle • Unscrambling the EB 2014 will feature14 courses, including 4 new courses. Alphabet Soup of Oilsands Groups February 10, 2014 - One Day Courses • Upcoming Events • Soil Chemistry for Remediating Salt-Affected Soils – 11 Spots Left • An Introduction to Environmental and Regulatory Law 2014 – 14 Spots Left • Job Board • Introduction to the Federal Fisheries Navigable Waters Protection Acts – 19 • and much more …. Spots Left • Waste Classification and Disposal in Alberta – 15 Spots Left • Business and Project Risk Management of Contaminated Sites – 22 Spots Left The ESAA Weekly • Environmental Management for Construction Projects – NEW – 10 Spots Left News is published weekly by: February 10 & 11, 2014 - Two Day Course Environmental Services • Introduction to Soil Science – NEW – 19 Spots Left Association of Alberta 102, 2528 Ellwood February 11, 2014 - One Day Courses Drive SW • Soil Chemistry for Remediating Salt-Affected Soils - 2nd Course – 22 Spots Left Edmonton, AB T6X 0A9 • (P) 780.429.6363 Waste Classification and Disposal in Alberta - 2nd Course – 10 Spots Left (F) 780.429.4249 [email protected] February 11 & 12, 2014 – Two Day Courses www.esaa.org • An Introduction to Using Groundwater Models in Contaminated Site Assessment and Remediation Design – 23 Spots Left Comments & submissions • Introduction to Hydrogeology – NEW – 9 Spots Left are welcome! • Air Quality Management – 12 Spots Left Please submit your • Environmental Project Management Planning Essentials – 16 Spots Left announcement • Occupational Hygiene – NEW – 23 Spots Left via e-mail to: [email protected] Complete courses descriptions and on-line registration available at: ...environmental www.environmentbusiness.ca. integrity through innovative Two Sponsorship Opportunities Still Available at EB’2014: Two sponsorship business solutions opportunities are still available. Full details are also available online at: http://www.environmentbusiness.ca/sponsors.htm. WaterTech 2014: Call for Abstracts, Keynote Speakers and Early Registration April 9 - 11, 2014 Farimont Banff Springs Call for Abstracts: The 7th Annual WaterTech Symposium will be held April 9-11, 2014 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The Call for Abstract for WaterTech 2014 is available at: www.esaa-events.com/watertech/. At this time, ESAA is requesting technical abstracts focused in, but not limited to, the following areas: • Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction/Management • Watershed Management/Planning/Modelling • Data Collection/Monitoring/Testing • Protection and Sustainable Management of Water Resources • Water Quality • Emerging Contaminants • Facility Operations, Industrial Issues, and Technologies • Industrial Wastewater Treatment • Produced Water Management • Deep Well Injection • Integrated Research • Regulatory Issues • Saline vs. Non-Saline Issues • Coal-bed Methane Development • Hydraulic Fracturing Issues • Oilsands Water Usage • Oilsands Groundwater Contamination and Management New for 2014: In addition, ESAA is requesting presentations in the following areas that will form part of special streams at WaterTech 2014: • Flood Management, Forecasting, Recovery, Monitoring • Oilsands Water Usage • Pipeline Safety and Spill Response Deadline to submit an abstract is December 27th, 2013. Complete details available at: http://www.esaa- events.com/watertech/. Registration is now open for the 7th Annual WaterTech symposium being held April 9-11, 2014 at the Fairmont Banff Springs. Early Bird registration rates are available until January 10th, 2014. Full details available online at: www.esaa-events.com/watertech/. Sponsor Information is now available via the conference website: http://www.esaa- events.com/watertech/sponsors.htm Keynote Speakers: WaterTech 2014 will feature the following keynote presentations: Opening Keynote "Emerging Contaminants" Dr. Shane Snyder,Professor & Co-Director - Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants (ALEC) Thursday Keynote "The Role of the Waterkeepers" Glenn Isaac,Executive Director - North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper Friday Keynote "Countdown to Safety" Col. Mike Mullane, Former Space Shuttle Astronaut Full event details available online at: www.esaa-events.com/watertech/. AER REGULATORY DOCUMENT REVIEW The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) continues to improve its rules, requirements, and processes to ensure the safe, efficient, orderly, and environmentally responsible development of hydrocarbon resources. A review of two interim directives (IDs) and one informational letter (IL) has resulted in the following changes. ID 91-06: Casing, Cementing, Sampling and Logging Requirements Senex, Kidney, Trout, and Associated Areas has been reviewed and the relevant requirements incorporated into Directive 008: Surface Casing Depth Requirements. As part of the review, some of the requirements in Directive 008 were clarified. Clarifications include search radii, offset wells, and an update to the surface mineable oil sands map. ID 94-03: Underbalanced Drilling has been reviewed and changed into an addendum to Directive 036: Drilling Blowout Prevention Requirements and Procedures. There are no new requirements; however, the addendum was updated to reflect current industry recommended practices. IL 2001-02: Field and Pool Orders and Gas Strike Areas is considered no longer necessary as current field and pool orders and gas strike areas are available on the AER website at www.aer.ca/data-and-publications/orders/aer- order-system. ID 91-06, ID 94-03, and IL 2001-02 are rescinded as a result of this review. Questions regarding this bulletin should be directed to the Regulatory Development Branch by telephone (403-297- 8364) or e-mail ([email protected]). Directive 008 and the addendum to Directive 036 are available from AER Information Product Services Section, Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW; telephone: 403-297-8311 or 1-855-297-8311 (toll free); fax: 403-297-7040; e-mail: [email protected]. The directive is also available on the AER website www.aer.ca. PREMIER REDFORD FOCUSES MINISTERIAL TEAM ON INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH Premier Alison Redford today announced a strengthened ministerial team that will drive the next phase of the Building Alberta Plan, while continuing to rebuild in the wake of the worst natural disaster in Alberta’s history. “Our government is determined to deliver on our commitments and build an even stronger, safer and more prosperous Alberta. The strengthened ministerial team will lead the next phase of the Building Alberta Plan, with a focus on expanding our economy, driving innovation and working every day to create an even better quality of life for Albertans.” - Premier Alison Redford Premier Alison Redford said her Government will focus on an active agenda in 2014, as part of the Building Alberta Plan, including: • Ensuring Alberta has the skilled workforce and training opportunities we need to keep growing our economy; • Building an innovative and diversified economy to ensure Alberta is well-positioned for the future; • Balancing Alberta’s budget through an expanded Results-Based Budgeting process that challenges every dollar government spends; • Strengthening front-line health care and driving down wait times by building additional family care clinics; • Moving forward with the next wave of new and expanded schools in our fastest-growing communities to keep class sizes low; • A determined and focused rebuilding effort in communities affected by the June floods, including large community mitigation projects to protect Albertans; • Continued action to make our streets and communities safer, with a focus on new approaches to fight bullying and crime; • Keeping electricity rates affordable for Alberta families and building on Alberta’s success in developing renewable energy. • Working, every day, to open new markets for Alberta’s resources and products. “Albertans elected our government to lead in changing times, and with this team we will meet the challenges associated with our enormous population growth head-on. I’m excited about the work ahead in building Alberta – for the 4 million Albertans today, and the million more we’ll welcome over the next 10 years.” - Premier Alison Redford Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta's resources to ensure we're able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for. Alberta Cabinet and Associate Ministers Alison Redford Premier, and President of Executive Council Dave Hancock Deputy Premier, and Minister of Innovation & Advanced Education Doug Horner President of Treasury Board & Minister of Finance Thomas Lukaszuk Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Cal Dallas Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations Diana McQueen Minister of Energy Fred Horne Minister of Health Ken Hughes Minister of Municipal Affairs Jeff Johnson Minister of Education