Alberta First Nation Chief warns of “broken system” as Imperial Oil faces charges – Ricochet Media

As sickness and deaths continue to stalk Fort Chipewyan, Chief Allan Adam says new charges are a belated step towards accountability — and reveal deeper problems

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has laid nine charges against Imperial Oil for environmental violations after 5.3 million liters of contaminated wastewater leaked from its Kearl oil sands site in northern Alberta two years ago.

The charges, announced in January, stem from a catastrophic spill that began on January 30, 2023, but wasn’t reported to regulators until February 4 — a delay that sparked outrage among affected Indigenous communities.

Six charges were laid under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, including failure to report the release immediately and failure to take responsible measures to remediate and manage the contamination. Three additional charges under the Public Lands Act relate to the accumulation of waste material and damage to public lands.

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