THANK YOU
RemTech Delegates, Presenters, Exhibitors and Sponsors:
On behalf of ESAA, thank you for attending RemTech 2024. From all the early feedback we have received, the 23rd edition was one the best yet. The success of RemTech, would not be possible with out the support of our amazing sponsors, exhibitors, presenters and delegates. Thank you.
Not only was RemTech a great success in terms of networking and presentations, but also for charity. RemTech 2024 delegates raised $41,000 for the 4 RemTech Charities this year. RemTech has now raised $1,001,000 and all ESAA events have raised $1,239,000 for a number of charities. To see which charities have benefited over the years visit: https://esaa.org/about/esaa-
Presentation PDFs – PDFs of the presentations are now available at: https://esaa.org/remtech/
Delegate Survey – Please take a minute to complete the delegate survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/
Thank you for another great year!
2024 ESAA Industry Award Winners Announced
The ESAA Lifetime Achievement Award – Stacy Thygesen
Stacy Thygesen is a mentor, a trusted advisor, a committed ESAA volunteer, and small business owner.
With nearly 25 years experience in the environmental industry, she has worked at (and is now Principal of) her family-owned decommissioning company. She is a recognized leader in decommissioning and, along with her husband, has built their company into an industry leader.
Stacy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian Government and Politics from the University of Alberta and a Petroleum Land Administration Certificate from SAIT.
Stacy began her involvement with ESAA in 2004 when JSK Consulting became a member of the association. Since the very beginning, Stacy has actively supported, and participated in, ESAA events. In 2017, Stacy was elected to the ESAA Board of Directors, and in 2019, she began a three-year term as President.
Stacy served as President during a particularly challenging time for ESAA and the industry. Her leadership and support helped guide ESAA through COVID, making the organization even stronger as it emerged from the global crisis. Stacy was instrumental, along with Darren Cherniak, in securing a spot for ESAA on the Alberta Government’s SRP Advisory Committee. Her advocacy for the industry resulted in increased remediation and reclamation work.
Stacy is approachable, has time for everyone, and always has a smile on her face. In her spare time, she is an active supporter of the Project Forest initiative, a volunteer at the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre, a director at Large for the Red Deer Minor Basketball Association, and the Program Committee Co-Chair for the 2025 CLRA Conference.
Congratulations Stacy!
2024 Environmental Project of the Year
FARO MINE REMEDIATION PROJECT – Parsons
The Faro Mine Remediation project is one of the most complex abandoned mine clean-up projects in Canada and was established to prevent the contamination of nearby land and water from the former mining operation. The site is in the asserted Traditional Territory of the Kaska Nation, with Ross River being most affected and close St. Indigenous community to the site.
Why was this project so unique? The remote location. Which is 200 km from Whitehorse, the harsh weather conditions, and sheer scale of the project required a sizable, multi-disciplinary team to effectively implement innovative solutions to protect the environment and human health and safety.
The Faro Mine site consists of several areas of interest including open pits, waste rock dumps, a tailings storage facility, water management, and buildings and infrastructure.
The Faro PIT, with a storage capacity of approximately 100 million cubic metres, is used to store contaminated water collected from across the site which allows seasonal water treatment to occur. The waste rock dumps are acid generating, which mobilizes metal contaminants that can subsequently find their way into the aquatic environment. The tailings facility includes four dams holding back over 57 million tonnes of tailings which are also highly reactive and releasing metals into the surrounding environment.
Parsons has completed several urgent works including: a new Water Treatment Plant to increase capacity; construction of a seepage collection system to reduce iron loading to the Rose Creek; and the realignment of the North Fork Rose Creek to ensure clean water is diverted away from a significant source of zinc contamination.
Parsons will soon be awarding a contract for the construction of a Permanent Water Treatment Plant which is intended to operate for decades to come. This will be one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the Yukon and will significantly reduce the risk of any future unplanned contaminated water discharge.
The Faro Mine Project not only received the Yukon Regional Business Sustainability Award, BUT more importantly, the Indigenous people whose lives were so negatively affected by the faro mine, can finally begin to experience healing, while benefiting from the remediation and closure of the site.
Congratulations Parsons!
Joe Chowaniec Scholarship Winners Announced
Member Winner
Sponsored by Trace Associates Inc.
Non-Member Winner
Sponsored by Gallagher
Karin Mohoric is the recipient of the 2024 Joe Chowaniec Scholarship for Members. Karin grew up on a small family sheep farm in Slovenia but moved to Alberta in 2014. Though concerned with her English proficiency, Karin earned a diploma with honours in Chemical Technology from NAIT and has now entered the Environmental Practice program at Royal Roads University.
Congratulations Karin!
Hadi Mokarizadeh is the recipient of the 2024 Joe Chowaniec Scholarship for a Non-Member. Hadi is undertaking a PhD in Environmental Engineering with a focus on the application of solar driven advanced oxidation processes for the Treatment of Oil Sands Process Water. As his PhD Supervisor says in his glowing reference: “Hadi’s research is very important for the Safeguarding of Human and Environmental Health”.
Congratulations Hadi!
Office Space For Sale
- 2,140 sq.ft.± main floor office space featuring 3 private offices, open work space, boardroom/ kitchenette, reception area
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AER: Invitation for Feedback on Revisions to Directive 060
We are seeking feedback on updates to Directive 060: Upstream Petroleum Industry Flaring, Incinerating, and Venting. This directive sets out requirements for flaring, incinerating, and venting in Alberta at all upstream petroleum industry wells and facilities.
The proposed directive includes the following revisions:
- The section numbers have changed from previous editions, and requirements that used to be in various appendices have been moved unchanged into the main body of the document.
- The new “General Requirements” section (section 2) contains much of the text that existed in section 1 of the previous edition.
- The content from previous sections 4, 5, and 6 have been consolidated into a single new section 6 titled “Gas Facility and Infrastructure Flaring, Incinerating, and Venting.”
- A new “Emissions Research and Innovation” section (section 5) has been added, addressing emission research and innovation at emissions testing facilities
- Section 7, “Performance Requirements,” has been updated to allow signoff from a qualified person in lieu of AER approval in some instances.
- Requirements around alternative fugitive emissions management programs (Alt-FEMPs) and FEMPs have been revised by expanding the current number of acceptable FEMPs and providing additional approaches and criteria for what acceptable alt-FEMPs need to include.
- CSA Z620.3 performance requirements for flaring, incineration, and enclosed combustion have been incorporated.
- Clarification has been added around how these requirements relate to geothermal operations and brine-hosted minerals.
- The definitions of flaring, incineration, and enclosed combustion have been updated.
To provide feedback on the proposed revisions to Directive 060, complete the public comment form on our website. Comments in other formats can be emailed to methane.reduction@aer.ca or mailed to Alberta Energy Regulator, Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4. Feedback will be accepted through Sunday, November 24, 2024.
All feedback received will be reviewed and may be used in finalizing Directive 060. The comments provided through this consultation will form part of the public record and may be attributed to the specific individuals who provided them. Personal information provided with comments will be collected, used, and disclosed in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. We may use the personal contact information you provide for follow-up communication related to your feedback.
The revised edition of Directive 060 is available on our website. If you have any questions, contact our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 1-855-297-8311 or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.
AER publishes 2023 State of Fluid Tailings Management for Mineable Oil Sands Report
Today, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) published the 2023 State of Fluid Tailings Management for Mineable Oil Sands report.
This report summarizes Alberta’s eight oil sands mine operator’s tailings management reports (TMRs) including fluid tailings volumes, water volumes stored in tailings facilities, tailings volumes reaching ready to reclaim (RTR) status, whether operators are within approved fluid tailings profiles, site wide tailings management activities, alignment with approved tailings management plans (TMPs), and continual improvement of tailings treatment technologies.
These operator TMRs were published on the AER website in their entirety on May 30, 2024. This annual reporting is a requirement under AER Directive 085: Fluid Tailings Management for Oil Sands Mining Projects.
Report highlights include:
- The total volume of fluid tailings* (new and legacy tailings combined) on oil sands mine sites in the Athabasca oil sands region increased from 1441 million cubic metres (Mm3) in 2022 to 1486 Mm3 in 2023. The increase in the total regional volume of fluid tailings was expected based on approved tailings profiles.
- The total volume of water in fluid tailings ponds in the region decreased from 417.5 Mm3 in 2022 to 391.1 Mm3 in 2023.
- The total volume of bitumen production increased from 93.86 Mm3 in 2022 to 95.60 Mm3 in 2023.
Between May and October each year, AER technical specialists conduct a comprehensive review of each operator’s TMR submission and then provide an evaluation of each operator’s tailings management, highlighting any regulatory actions taken, identifying the fluid tailings management level each approval holder is operating at as per the Lower Athabasca Region: Tailings Management Framework for the Mineable Athabasca Oil Sands (TMF) and Directive 085, and evaluating regional performance against the TMF outcomes and objectives..
For questions concerning the operator reports, contact the specific operator directly.
For questions related to the AER report, contact inquiries@aer.ca. For media inquiries, contact media@aer.ca.
* Fluid tailings are categorized as legacy fluid tailings (fluid tailings stored before January 1, 2015) and new fluid tailings (fluid tailings stored after January 1, 2015).
Mercer Peace River Pulp Ltd. in Alberta fined $1 million for unlawful deposit of effluent into the Peace River
Canadians value a safe and clean environment. Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers strive to ensure that businesses and individuals comply with laws and regulations that protect the natural environment in Canada.
On October 11, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice, Mercer Peace River Pulp Ltd. (Mercer Peace River) was ordered to pay a $1 million fine after pleading guilty on September 4, 2024, to one count of violating the Fisheries Act. The charge follows an investigation by Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers that determined that on April 14, 2021, Mercer Peace River deposited or permitted the deposit of 30,868,000 litres of effluent (wastewater) that was acutely lethal (toxic) to fish from its pulp mill near the Town of Peace River, Alberta, into the Peace River. The deposit of acutely lethal effluent into fish-bearing waters violates a condition of the authorization to deposit effluent that is set out in subsection 6(5) of the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations, in contravention of subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act.
The pulp mill operates a wastewater treatment system that treats effluent before it is released to the Peace River. The wastewater treatment system has a spill pond designed to capture and store effluent resulting from spills or unusual operating conditions. Once in the spill pond, effluent is gradually reintroduced back into the treatment system at a controlled rate to minimize its overall negative effect.
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s investigation determined that the offence occurred during a maintenance shutdown of the pulp mill. The shutdown generated waste materials from process vessels and wastewater from cleaning operations which were directed into the spill pond. Mercer Peace River had not maintained sufficient capacity in the spill pond to capture the additional effluent. As a result, the spill pond did not function as designed. The investigation determined that the reduced capacity within the spill pond contributed to the offence. Mercer Peace River has since taken steps to increase the capacity of the spill pond by removing sludge and upgrading the associated pumping system.
The fine will be directed to the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund.
As a result of this conviction, the company’s name will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry. The Registry contains information on convictions of corporations registered for offences committed under certain federal environmental laws.
Protecting northern water supplies from toxic metals with careful remediation
(Source: Environment Journal) As the climate warms and arctic permafrost thaws, some of the toxic elements locked away in it are starting to emerge and could contaminate the water supplies that many northern communities rely on.
Elliott Skierszkan, a geologist at Carleton University, and his colleagues recently measured the concentrations of naturally occurring uranium and arsenic in water released from permafrost samples collected in the Yukon.
“Our samples had levels of uranium and arsenic in the water beyond what would be considered safe,” he says. The work was published in two papers, in Environmental Science and Technology, and ACS Earth and Space Chemistry.
Using the Canadian Light Source at the University of Saskatchewan, Skierszkan also probed the chemical composition of the elements in the solid portion of the permafrost. They found that uranium was largely associated with organic carbon in the soil, while arsenic was associated with iron oxides. “The synchrotron was essential to understanding the chemistry of these elements and their potential to be mobilized,” says Skierszkan.
The results showed that the fate of both elements was linked to organic carbon. As the permafrost thaws, the organic matter it contains breaks down, which can release associated uranium. This decaying organic matter can also cause the iron oxides and the arsenic associated with them to dissolve into the water.
Skierszkan says these findings “show the increased need to monitor these processes,” to keep an eye on water quality. More than 90% of the population in the Yukon relies on groundwater, and while people don’t currently drink water from the study sites, it will be important to monitor water quality in populated areas where permafrost is at risk of thawing.
There are also implications for mineral exploration – the changing baseline of water quality needs to be considered in the waste remediation plans for mines, and mine locations should be selected to minimize disruptions to permafrost.
“There’s a big shift happening with water chemistry in the North, and that has implications for ecosystem health,” says Skierszkan. “How that plays out in the coming years we don’t know, but we can anticipate there’s going to be some change.”
Alberta regulator declines environmental assessment for carbon capture project
(Source: Canada’s National Observer ) The Alberta Energy Regulator is denying a request from a First Nation and group of environmental organizations for an environmental assessment of the Pathways Alliance’s proposed carbon capture project.
The $16.5-billion project aims to connect 13 oilsands sites in northern Alberta to an underground storage site south of Cold Lake, using 600 kilometres of carbon dioxide pipelines. The Pathways Alliance is composed of Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Imperial Oil, MEG Energy and ConocoPhillips Canada, which collectively represent 95 per cent of oilsands production. The alliance claims the project is critical to their ability to cut emissions.
In a statement, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allen Adam said with his nation’s treaty rights on the line, they will fight the AER’s decision “tooth and nail.”
“There’s a reason the AER doesn’t want to put the Pathways project through an environmental assessment,” he said. “It is because it will expose the environmental impacts, the poor economic viability and the risks to human health.
“We know the AER works with industry to cover up their messes. This is just another example, a big example.”
Last year, Imperial Oil reported a leak of 5.3 million litres from one of its tailing ponds at its Kearl site. It was later revealed the tailings had been leaking for years with both Imperial and the AER failing to disclose the information to the ACFN, putting people’s health at risk. Previously, Chief Adam told Canada’s National Observer he is very concerned about the potential damage to the environment and human health, and he wants to see the government step in to ensure proper protections are in place.
Instead of a comprehensive environmental assessment, the Pathways Alliance is splitting its megaproject into 126 smaller segments for the regulator, with multiple applications for various licences filed with the AER.
“Project-splitting is a loophole that allows large industrial projects to steamroll ahead while ignoring cumulative impacts – putting Albertans, Indigenous communities, and ecosystems at risk of harm,” said Phillip Meintzer, a conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association, in a statement. “It’s like saying that drivers don’t need a licence to operate a vehicle because the individual parts aren’t technically a whole car. It’s absurd.”
The AER told Canada’s National Observer it isn’t requiring an environmental assessment because it isn’t mandatory for the Pathways Alliance proposal.
“There’s a reason the AER doesn’t want to put the Pathways project through an environmental assessment. It is because it will expose the environmental impacts, the poor economic viability and the risks to human health.” #abpoli
“It was decided that further assessment of the project is not required under section 44 of [the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act],” an AER spokesperson said. “Therefore, a screening report will not be prepared, and an environmental impact assessment report is not required.”
But the AER also rejects environmental advocates’ claims that project-splitting is to avoid a full assessment. Instead “breaking down a larger project into separate applications enables individuals to pinpoint specific concerns within the development,” the AER spokesperson said.
Denying a full assessment is concerning to environmental advocates, Indigenous leaders, and health experts because when CO2 pipelines fail, they can fail catastrophically.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, there have been at least 76 reported safety incidents related to CO2 pipelines since 2010 in the United States. Some incidents are minor and others are disastrous, but all point to the risks of transporting and storing carbon dioxide as a way to manage greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, the most alarming example of a CO2 pipeline failure occurred in 2020 when a rupture happened in the small town of Satartia, Miss., causing a mass poisoning that hospitalized about 50 people. When the pipeline burst, a massive cloud of concentrated carbon dioxide exploded into the air, but because CO2 is heavier than air, it didn’t dissipate. Instead, it settled into a thick fog rolling through the community, displacing oxygen and dropping people to the ground as they struggled to breathe.
Jack Willingham, the emergency director for the town’s county, told NPR, “It looked like you were going through the zombie apocalypse.”
Whether a federal impact assessment happens, safety concerns will likely persist. In the United States, community groups are actively fighting CO2 pipeline projects by underscoring just how little is understood about the risks. Within one minute of a rupture on a 12 to 14-inch diameter pipe, a “kill zone of 760 feet” occurs, according to a North Dakota plume model study.
The United States has at least 50 CO2 pipelines running more than 8,000 kilometres, while Canada has five major CO2 pipelines stretching a combined 464 kilometres, according to the Canada Energy Regulator. Not yet included in Canada’s CO2 pipeline count are the proposed Pathways project and others proposed by Wolf Midstream and Whitecap Resources, which are separately planning CO2 pipelines in Alberta and Saskatchewan, respectively.
According to a study from Oil Change International published in August, Canada is among the top three financiers of carbon capture and fossil hydrogen projects, having provided US$3.8 billion worth of subsidies to date. At the same time, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, widely considered to be the gold standard for climate science, ranks carbon capture as the most expensive and least effective option to reduce emissions.
Alberta Utilities Commission blocks Westlock solar project
(Source: CTV News) A proposed solar plant north of Westlock was originally slated to be operational by December, but after months of review, the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) has decided the project won’t be built.
Acestes Power ULC applied to build the 24-megawatt solar plant in 2023, which it claimed would generate enough electricity annually to power about 7,000 homes.
On Oct. 11, the AUC ruled that the company had failed to demonstrate the benefits of the project outweighed its negative impacts and “that approval of the applications is not in the public interest.”
The AUC ruling, signed by Chair Carolyn Dahl Rees, says the commission assessed the social, environmental, and economic value of the project. The decision to deny Acestes’ application centred around the land the solar plant would have been constructed on.
“In particular, the Commission is concerned that the negative agricultural impacts have been well established in the evidence and the downgrade in productive value of the lands will have negative social and economic consequences. The benefits associated with the project seem minimal or unsubstantiated in this record and do not outweigh these concerns,” the decision states.
A Feb. 28 letter to the AUC from Alberta’s Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf, delivered a day before the province’s seven-month renewable energy project moratorium expired, outlines the government’s intention to ban renewable project development on prime land.
While the government hasn’t yet put its “agriculture first” approach into legislation, the commission said the letter signals upcoming policies and was considered in their project evaluation.
Acestes argued that the commission should judge its application using a “framework of regulatory certainty” and that in trying to anticipate what regulations would be revealed in the months ahead, the AUC was applying “a new set of rules” to their existing application.
Class 1 and class 2 land is considered highly productive agriculture land. Alberta’s government has indicated some development of class 2 land will still be allowed, but the proponent of the project would need to prove that agrivoltaics, crops, and livestock could peacefully co-exist.
Representatives from Westlock County told the AUC hearing they weren’t necessarily opposed to the Acestes plant, but expressed concern that its approval would lead to similar projects propagating on class 2 farmlands in the county.
The main benefits of the solar plant presented by Acestes were the ongoing municipal tax revenue and estimated 100 jobs that would be created during construction. However, the commission said it was unconvinced these would produce a net benefit for the affected communities.
“Acestes itself stated that, while there would be a loss of agricultural output from the lands, the value of the electricity produced and the value of the project to the landowner would be greater. This perspective is problematic in that it conflates the private benefits that will accrue to Acestes and the hosting landowner with the public interest,” the decision states.
“The commission is not convinced in this case that Acestes has demonstrated that the public benefits outweigh the negative impacts.”
Contaminated soil from Calgary arena site stored as far away as Brooks, Alta.
(Source: CBC News) Every day, a parade of dump trucks arrives at the site of the future Scotia Place arena to pick up contaminated soil.
The four hectares (10 acres) of land used to be a parking lot for the Calgary Stampede. Before that, the site was covered with houses as part of the Victoria Park neighbourhood.
This fall, workers have been busy digging up two metres of top soil to be hauled away. More than 100,000 tonnes of material has been removed.
Bob Hunter, the city’s spokesperson for the event centre project, said the soil must be sequestered because it’s contaminated.
What’s it contaminated with? Hunter said it relates to the previous land uses.
“The key ones there would be asbestos. And so we’ve taken great caution. We’re testing constantly, almost daily,” he said.
Besides asbestos, work has churned up foundations from former houses and old utility lines.
Some chemical substances have been found but not in any large quantities.
“They’re manageable and they are removable, which is obviously a good thing. Hydrocarbons, that sort of thing. But generally they would have been associated with neighbourhood activities. So there was no heavy industrial contaminants found.”
No archeological items have been churned up in the excavation.
As for what happens to the soil, Hunter said it’s being hauled to two places.
One is a storage site on the outskirts of Calgary. But material is also being taken to a compound in Brooks, Alta., about 190 kilometres east of Calgary.
He said the Calgary site is taking only 10 deliveries of the contaminated soil per day, so the rest ends up going to Brooks.
Soil removal isn’t the only work going on at the site of the $920-million arena.
Hunter said more than 475 piles have been driven into the ground. They’ll provide structural support for the shoring that will be going in as work crews dig down into the site.
About 10 more metres of dirt will be removed so the foundation of the building can be developed.
He’s calling it the big dig, and that work is expected to get underway in November and continue into the new year.
Plans call for the Scotia Place ice level to be more than 10 metres below street level.
The new home of the Calgary Flames will open in the summer of 2027.
The building will be owned by the City of Calgary. It will be operated by the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, which owns the NHL team and several other local sports franchises.
Remediation Technology News and Resource
(The following are selected items from the US EPA’s Tech Direct – http://clu-in.org/techdirect/)
Upcoming Live Internet Seminars
Advancing Environmental Health Research with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Session I — AI & ML Applications to Understand Chemical Mixtures, Properties, and Exposures and Their Relationship to Human Health – Monday, November 4, 2024, 2:00PM-4:00PM EST (19:00-21:00 GMT). The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to advance environmental health research. The series will feature SRP-funded researchers, collaborators, and other subject-matter experts who aim to better understand and address environmental health issues by applying AI and machine learning approaches to complex issues. In the first session, speakers will discuss how they apply machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to understand chemical exposures and their effects on human health. For more information and to register, see https://www.clu-in.org/
PNNL’s RemPlex and IAEA Webinar on Sustainable Remediation and Decommissioning in Practice – Tuesday, November 5, 2024, 11:00AM-12:30PM EST (4:00PM-5:30PM GMT). An international panel explores how to incorporate sustainable outcomes into the planning phases of remediation and decommissioning projects, how these outcomes are measured and vary across the breadth of activities, and specific approaches and initiatives that can provide confidence in reaching sustainable goals. Presented by the Center for the Remediation of Complex Sites (RemPlex) with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Network of Environmental Remediation and NORM Management (ENVIRONET). For more information and to register, see https://www.pnnl.gov/
ITRC Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Training – Thursday, November 21, 2024, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 GMT). In 2023, ITRC published the Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance to supplement the 2014 Contaminated Sediments Remediation Guidance with the goal of improving consistency in sediment cap performance outcomes. Sediment capping is a commonly selected remediation approach and numerous designs have been completed. Previous cap designs have been evaluated in multiple ways, and these varying approaches have led to some differences in selection of chemical design criteria, construction tolerance specifications, and monitoring/maintenance objectives for sites with similar characteristics and contaminants, leading to different expectations for long-term performance and reliability. The Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Training will cover several key elements of the recommended framework. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org
FRTR Presents…TRAC — A Tool for Tracking Groundwater Restoration Across Multiple Sites – Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 1:00PM-2:00PM EST (18:00-19:00 GMT). Tracking Restoration And Closure (TRAC) is a web-based application that combines infographics, annual statistics, and historical facts to clearly communicate the current status of groundwater contamination cleanup efforts at Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) sites across the nation. TRAC is a tool to share information about and provide transparency into environmental remediation progress at these cleanup sites. With TRAC, users can explore robust and consistent geospatial visualization of contaminants of concern above the regulatory cleanup concentrations at three levels of detail: EM complex, EM site, and waste management unit. Each level includes narrative information on key topics, such as cleanup challenges/priorities and technology approaches, and metrics about contaminant plumes, regulatory context/status, and remedy technologies/implementation status. For more information and to register, see https://www.clu-in.org/
ITRC: Introduction to Hydrocarbons – Thursday, December 5, 2024, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 GMT). Petroleum is a complex mixture of many compounds. Regulatory and technical guidance documents commonly focus on the hydrocarbon components of that mixture, or perceived risks that they present. However, focusing on a specific area of concern often causes practitioners to overlook other aspects of a release. For example, concerns related to exposure to total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) risks may be overlooked while pursuing concerns related to light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) recovery or petroleum vapor intrusion (PVI). This class is designed to provide a basic overview of hydrocarbon behavior in the subsurface and how to scientifically assess concerns arising from the release of petroleum products into the environment. It will highlight key issues that help identify and manage TPH, LNAPL, and PVI risks together. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org
New Documents and Web Resources
Technology Innovation News Survey Corner. The Technology Innovation News Survey contains market/commercialization information; reports on demonstrations, feasibility studies and research; and other news relevant to the hazardous waste community interested in technology development. Recent issues, complete archives, and subscription information is available at https://clu-in.org/products/tins/. The following resources were included in recent issues:
- Geophysical Characterization of Mine Influenced Groundwater and Surface Water in the Mayflower Section of the Animas River, Bonita Peak Mining District, Silverton Colorado
- Passive Sampling Technology Update
ESAA Member News
McElhanney Affirms Investment in Alberta with Appointments of Regional and Market Sector Vice Presidents
Vancouver, BC, October 31, 2024 – McElhanney Ltd. (McElhanney) one of Canada’s largest employee-owned engineering and geomatics firms, is pleased to announce the appointments of the Energy & Resources Market Sector Vice President and Prairies South Regional Vice President.
In May 2024, McElhanney appointed Nathan Sikkes, P.Eng, ALS, CLS, SLS to the role of Energy & Resources Market Sector Vice President for both British Columbia and Alberta. Nathan has been a staple at McElhanney since 2004 where he previously led the Major Projects team, and since 2019 as a McElhanney board member. He has a reputation among clients and partners for bringing high-quality and innovative solutions to major infrastructure projects, and for leading teams to drive forward the evolution of the energy and resources sector in Western Canada.
“I joined McElhanney at the start of my career, and I’ve had the opportunity to see first-hand the different areas of the business. As Energy & Resources Market Sector Vice President, I’m eager to dig my hands into the challenges of this dynamic market to better serving our clients and communities,” says Nathan.
In September 2024, McElhanney appointed Warren Lippitt, MBA, P.Eng, ALS, CLS as Prairies South Regional Vice President. Warren has nearly two decades at McElhanney leading teams to support clients across Southern Alberta, including three years overseeing McElhanney’s Canmore, AB branch, and five years serving as a McElhanney board member. Warren’s appointment follows a thorough search process for the Prairies South Regional Vice President role.
“I’m thrilled to be taking up the mantle as Prairies South Regional Vice President,” says Warren. “In this role, I look forward to growing McElhanney’s presence and strengthening the services our clients need most.”
“Appointing Warren and Nathan were no-brainers for our firm. Warren’s understanding of the region and our clients’ needs, combined with Nathan’s deep knowledge of the energy and resources market, position McElhanney to better tackle our clients’ challenges as our own,” says Jennifer Price, McElhanney President & CEO.
The Energy & Resources Market Sector Vice President position is the second market sector appointment at McElhanney, furthering the firm’s commitment to clients, partners, and employees to deliver strategic innovative, and high-quality services to improve the quality of life for communities locally and beyond.
New ESAA Member
ESAA welcomes the following new members. If you are not a member of ESAA you can join now via: https://esaa.org/join-esaa/
Brenntag
12 Coachman Place
Sherwood Park, AB T8H 1B9
Phone: (780) 246-6039
https://www.brenntag.com/en-ca/
Paul Swenson, Account Executive
paul.swenson@brenntag.com
Upcoming Events
SustainTech 2024 Call for Abstracts
MARCH 19-20, 2025 | DELTA SASKATOON DOWNTOWN
Saskatchewan’s premier environmental conference
The conference highlights the latest environmental practices and technologies from industry, consultants, and regulators to address sustainability issues over the lifecycle of Saskatchewan’s principal resource sectors, including agriculture, mining, and oil and gas.
NOW ACCEPTING TECHNICAL ABSTRACTS
The Deadline for submission of abstracts is
Monday, December 2nd at 4:00 pm.
All abstracts must be submitted using the digital form below to be considered.
Full Details at: https://www.seima.sk.ca/post/sustaintech-call-for-abstracts-now-open-for-2025
STEM grads – WiSER Industry Mixer
WiSER, is hosting an Industry Mixer on November 23. See the link for details. Booth costs are only $100 and are limited. We would love to have ESAA or a few of your members present. The FREE student tickets are also now available.
Webinar: Unlocking Opportunities: Reimagining the Corner Gas Station
November 6th
Join us for an insightful webinar on Reimagining the Corner Gas Station, where industry leaders will explore the untapped potential of fueling sites. With approximately 12,000 gas stations in Canada, these prominent locations present exciting opportunities for vibrant, place-making. We’ll dive into success stories of transformed sites, innovative redevelopment, tools to overcome barriers, maximizing the site potential, and the environmental challenges posed by contamination. Plus, we’ll explore the evolution of gas stations, their adaptation and future trends. If you’re curious about how these properties can shape the future this webinar is for you! Don’t miss out—register today.
Speakers:
- Rob Hoffman, Director, Government and Stakeholder Relations, Canadian Fuels Association
- Tammy Lomas-Jylha, President, Lomas-Jylha Consulting
- Gus Sarantopoulos, Managing Partner, IGP Realty Advisors Inc.
- Peter Sutton, Vice President, Environmental Services, Terrapex
- Ilana Weitzman, VP of Strategic Development, Clean Transportation Electric Autonomy
Register at: https://canadianbrownfieldsnetwork.ca/events/cbn-webinars
ESAA Job Board
Check out the new improved ESAA Job Board. Members can post ads for free.
Current Listings:
- Senior Environmental Planner -Stantec
- Site Investigation & Remediation (SIR) Team Lead -Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
- Environmental Risk Assessment & Technical Reporting – Arletta Environmental Consulting Corp
- Environmental Geoscientist – Terex Environmental Group Inc