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NEWS RELEASES
January 9, 2008
Province requires professional involvement in land remediation and reclamation work
Edmonton...Albertans can be assured that all land remediation and reclamation is completed to the same high standard of excellence. Since January 1, members of six professional organizations must be involved in, and sign-off on, all land remediation and reclamation work for oil and gas reclamation certificates. To support professional sign-off, a Joint Practice Standard has been developed by six professional regulatory organizations in consultation with the Alberta government.
“This new standard is important to Albertans for two reasons,” said Rob Renner, Minister of Environment. “First, professional involvement throughout the process ensures that all remediation and reclamation work is completed properly, and, second, that it is all completed to the same high standard of excellence.”
Alberta's Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act requires operators to conserve and reclaim specified land and obtain a reclamation certificate. To obtain a reclamation certificate, the site must be assessed for contamination and cleaned up to meet Alberta Environment’s standards, the soil replaced and the site revegetated. These certificates are issued to operators when their site has been successfully reclaimed.
The six professional organizations account for more than 50,000 professionals within Alberta, from agrologists and biologists to engineers and geoscientists to foresters. More than 6,000 of those licenced professionals responsible for environmental work are collaborating to ensure continued public safety with respect to the reclamation and remediation of sites in Alberta.
“An innovative, made-in-Alberta solution, this new process will be a model for other jurisdictions,” added Renner.
The six professional organizations are: Alberta Institute of Agrologists; Alberta Society of Professional Biologists; Association of the Chemical Profession of Alberta; Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta; College of Alberta Professional Foresters; and, College of Alberta Professional Forest Technologists.
For more information about land reclamation certificates, or the professional Joint Practice Standard, please visit www.environment.alberta.ca or any one of the professional organizations’ websites.
Improving the process for land remediation and reclamation is part of Premier Ed Stelmach’s plan to secure Alberta’s future by building communities, greening our growth and creating opportunity.
Media enquiries may be directed to:
Jim Law
Director of Communications
Alberta Environment
780-427-6267
Jim.Law@gov.ab.ca
To call toll-free within Alberta dial 310-0000.
