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RemTech 2023October 11-13, 2023 Starts in 7 Weeks? Have You Registered? 40 Delegate Passes Remaining ESAA is pleased to announce that program for 22nd edition of RemTech is now available. The program will feature 66 talks on variety of topics including:
The complete program can be found online at: https://esaa.org/remtech/agenda/ RemTech 2023 will also feature an outdoor tailgate party to start the conference, the A Night of Laughs Reception on Thursday, featuring Canadian Comedy Legend – Ron James. 55 exhibits, technical talks, networking opportunities and four great keynotes, featuring:
Full conference details can be found at: https://esaa.org/remtech/ Registration: 90 delegate passes still available. Registration capped at 650 people – visit: https://esaa.org/remtech/register/ to register. A great big thank you to all our sponsors and supporters. |
ESAA PFAS Symposium
Draft Program Now Available
7:30 am – 5:00 pm
December 6th, 2023
Fairmont Palliser
133 9 Ave SW, Calgary
Event Sponsor: ALS Environmental
Coffee Break Sponsors: AGAT Laboratories, Bureau Veritas and Parsons
Breakfast Sponsor: Element
Lunch Sponsor: Barr
ESAA is pleased to announce that the draft agenda for the ESAA PFAS Symposium is now available.
PFAS, PFOS and other forever chemicals are widely used, long lasting chemicals, components of which break down very slowly over time. These chemicals are now everywhere in the environment (soil, water and blood streams of people and animals). Remediation and management of PFAS-contaminated sites are very challenging and complex, and the removal of PFAS from the broader environment is not currently possible.
This one day symposium will feature 18 speakers spread over 5 panel discussions each focussing on a different aspect of this growing issue.
- Science of PFAS
- Legal Aspects
- Testing
- Risk Management
- Treatment
Additional details, limited sponsorship opportunities, limited company pop-up banner opportunities and to register visit:https://esaa.org/events/pfas/
AER directs the Orphan Well Association to intervene at AlphaBow Energy sites
The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has directed the Orphan Well Association (OWA) to provide reasonable care and measures (RCAM) and to suspend all sites licensed to AlphaBow Energy Ltd. due to AlphaBow’s failure to comply with two orders issued in March and June of 2023.
On March 30, 2023, the AER issued an order to AlphaBow with respect to reasonable care and measures of the company’s licences and sites. AlphaBow failed to comply with the March order and, as a result, in June the AER ordered AlphaBow to suspend all licences and sites held by the company.
The direction includes reasonable care and measures as well as emergency response, and suspension of all sites as required under the June Order. As a result of the AER directing and authorizing the OWA to take the steps listed above, AlphaBow and any contractors of AlphaBow, are not permitted to take any actions at the company’s licences and sites without first obtaining the approval from the OWA. AlphaBow is also responsible for all costs incurred by the OWA in relation to this direction.
The AER has confirmed that AlphaBow Energy is not taking the actions required under the June order and is of the opinion that AlphaBow is not providing and is not capable of providing reasonable care and measures to protect public safety and the environment.
AlphaBow has previously been granted a hearing to review the orders; a date has not yet been set. The notice of hearing can be found here: Notice of hearings
The AER’s letter to the OWA and the orders from March and June orders can be found on the AER’s compliance dashboard.
AER: Reminder of Increased Risk During Migratory Bird Season
It is now migratory bird season in the province, and we would like to remind licensees of their responsibility to follow waterfowl protection plans to protect migratory bird populations. During this period, the weather can cause birds to land unexpectedly and in places where they would not normally seek to rest. Licensees must adhere to their plans and ensure that all liquid impoundments within their facilities that could potentially have an adverse impact on migratory bird populations are covered.
Remember, the timing for migratory bird season can change annually depending on the weather, which may require licensees to extend their bird-deterrent programs past the previous or typical dates. We also remind licensees that certain attractants, such as vegetation around industrial ponds and ditches, can draw in wildlife, including waterfowl, and should be managed to mitigate impacts.
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: New Edition of Directive 020
Today we released a new edition of Directive 020: Well Abandonment. The changes in section 5.4 amend the requirements for abandoning cased-hole wells penetrating an oil sands zone. We released draft requirements for public review on Jun 13, 2023, and accepted feedback until July 12, 2023 (see Bulletin 2023-26). These changes were reflected in the draft directive released on, on which public feedback was accepted until. A summary of what we heard and our responses is available on the Directive 020 landing page.
Directive 020 allows for routine abandonment of wells penetrating an oil sands zone using the requirements in section 5.3, “Wells Not Penetrating the Oil Sands Zones,” if the subject well meets the criteria for low thermal potential:
- The well is within the boundary of an oil sands area that the AER has assessed as having a low potential for thermal development.
- A qualified geoscientist has determined the well has a low potential for thermal development.
- The AER has approved a variance for nonthermal well abandonment within an oil sands area.
The revised edition of Directive 020 is available on our website at aer.ca > Regulating Development > Rules and Directives > Directives. 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: Industry-Wide Closure Spend Requirement for 2024
Under the Government of Alberta’s Liability Management Framework, we have implemented an Inventory Reduction Program (described in Directive 088: Licensee Life-Cycle Management), which involves setting an industry-wide closure spend requirement annually. Closure spend requirements increase the amount of closure work that is occurring in the province as licensees are required to spend a minimum amount annually on abandoning, remediating, and reclaiming their oil and gas sites. (These requirements are referred to as closure quotas in section 3.014 of the Oil and Gas Conservation Rules.)
We use inactive liability to determine the industry-wide closure spend requirement. Inactive liability is estimated using Directive 011: Licensee Liability Rating (LLR) Program; Updated Industry Parameters and Liability Costs and site-specific liability assessments for sites with an inactive life-cycle status in accordance with Directive 001: Requirements for Site-Specific Liability Assessments.
The industry-wide closure spend requirement for 2024 is $700 million. The industry-wide closure spend requirement is reviewed annually and subject to change due to a variety of factors, such as market conditions and previous years’ closure spending.
Licensee-Specific Closure Quotas
Each oil and gas licensee with inactive wells and facilities is required to meet an individual annual mandatory closure spend quota. In setting licensee-specific mandatory closure spend, we consider the licensee’s proportion of the total industry inactive liability and the licensee’s financial health, determined using financial information provided under Directive 067: Eligibility Requirements for Acquiring and Holding Energy Licences and Approvals. Licensees are reminded that financial submissions under Directive 067 (Schedule 3) must be submitted within 180 days after fiscal year end.
Licensee-specific mandatory closure spend for 2024 will be visible by September 28 within OneStop. Further information about the Inventory Reduction Program is available in Directive 088 and Manual 023: Licensee Life-Cycle Management. If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact InventoryReduction@aer.ca. Please do not inquire about licensee-specific mandatory closure spend until after September 28, 2023.
Final stage of Randle Reef remediation project commences
During the first two stages of remediation, over 615,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment was managed. Following a successful competitive bidding process, a contract of $29.2 million was awarded to Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. to complete the first phase of Stage 3 construction, which involves the installation of a multi-layered environmental cap, as a final step to isolate contaminants.
The contracting process for this work included an Indigenous Participation Plan, a measure to foster the inclusion of Indigenous communities in federal contracts through subcontracting, employment, and training and skills development. Milestone is partnering with Mississaugas of the Credit Business Corporation, strengthening economic opportunities for Indigenous-owned businesses, and supporting the integration of reconciliation as part of Government of Canada contracts. Milestone is responsible for this initial phase of Stage 3 construction, with a commitment to sub-contract more than 10 per cent of project work toward an Indigenous business.
The Randle Reef Contaminated Sediment Remediation Project is a joint initiative of the Government of Canada, the province of Ontario, the city of Hamilton, Halton Region, the city of Burlington, the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, and Stelco. The over $150 million cleanup is funded through a public-private approach, with the federal government and the province of Ontario each contributing a third of the funding, and the remaining third collectively funded by local partners.
“Millions of Canadians source their drinking water from the Great Lakes, and restoring the water quality and ecosystem health of these magnificent lakes contributes to restoring our communities,” said Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “The Randle Reef Project is a successful example of governments, local partners, and stakeholders working together to protect our fresh water, which is critical to the health and well-being of our environment, communities, and economy. This final stage to remediate one of Canada’s most contaminated sediment sites marks a great environmental success story. We are making significant strides in protecting the Great Lakes, as well as in advancing Canada’s commitments to protect 25 percent of our fresh water by 2025.”
The final stage of the project is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Once Stage 3 is completed, responsibility for the engineered containment facility will be transferred to the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority and will provide valuable port lands for the community.
“Ontario is committed to keeping our lakes and waterways clean and protected. Our support toward the Randle Reef project is integral to create a prosperous and healthy future for generations to come, with the Great Lakes being a vital source to the well-being of communities that rely on them,” said David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
In the spring of 2023, the Government of Canada announced a historic investment of $420 million over 10 years to accelerate the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes, as part of the strengthened Freshwater Action Plan. With the enhanced funding, Canada is aiming to complete the clean-up of 12 out of 14 remaining Canadian Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes by 2030, and all 14 of them within 15 years. The progress achieved in restoring the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern illustrates the strength of collaboration to find the best ways to keep our water safe, clean, and well-managed.
“We are very proud to be leading economic opportunities as part of the reconciliation process within the Traditional and Treaty Territory of our First Nation through the remediation of Randle Reef,” said Warren Sault, Chair of Mississaugas of the Credit Business LP. “We are extremely pleased that our partnership with Milestone Environmental prevailed in the competitive process in being awarded this project.”
For further information, visit: Randle Reef Project Website
The canary in the icefield
(Source: CBC News) On a sunny August day, University of Saskatchewan Prof. John Pomeroy steps out of a helicopter, and into an other-worldly landscape.
Surrounded by rock and ice, he stands at the toe of the Peyto Glacier: an ancient slab of ice within Banff National Park that’s been observed by scientists and enjoyed by ski-tourers and mountaineers for decades.
But things are not as they’ve always been. A large and growing lake has formed where the base of the glacier once stood.
Just in the last year, a new river and a waterfall have formed at the toe of the glacier, and icebergs that were previously floating in the glacier lake are nowhere to be seen.
“It’s very challenging to see it disappear like this,” said Pomeroy, a renowned hydrologist and director of the university’s Global Water Futures program, who has been coming to the glacier for decades.
“To have the landscapes of your memory disappear is always disturbing.”
Driving along the Icefields Parkway, it can be difficult for an average observer to spot the decline of Canada’s famous Rocky Mountain glaciers.
But Peyto, which is one of the longest-studied glaciers in the world, has been deteriorating since about the year 2000, and the extent of the loss has recently accelerated, researchers say.
Extreme weather only makes things worse. This year, a combination of low winter snowfall, prolonged, unseasonably hot weather and falling soot from wildfire smoke are coming together to create what Pomeroy describes as a glacial “death spiral.”
Measurements taken from Pomeroy’s research station near the base of the glacier show it’s undergone 6.5 metres of melt since last August. That’s on par with the previous record melt year of 2021, when an extreme heat wave scorched much of Western Canada, Pomeroy said.
It’s also retreated 80 metres horizontally, around four times the long-term average retreat of 20 metres.
As a reference point for other glaciers in the Canadian Rockies, Peyto is a sort of canary in the coal mine. To see it change so rapidly is an indication of what’s likely happening at hundreds of other glaciers in Western Canada, researchers say, and a sign that we must prepare for a time when they’re no longer around — sooner, rather than later.
Pomeroy expects we’ll start to see the end of these glaciers within our lifetimes, a situation that will affect the water supply in Alberta and throughout the prairie provinces.
Glacier meltwater provides a small but important source of river flow during hot, dry summers. Without glaciers around to feed rivers during these periods, cities and provinces will have to prepare for hydrological droughts that are “more severe than any we’ve experienced,” he said.
“This is the final end of our ice age — it’s happening right now,” said Pomeroy.
Part of what makes the changes on the Peyto Glacier so significant is that researchers can truly understand their context.
Historical photos of Peyto date back to the 1890s, with some research beginning in the 1920s. It’s been studied in earnest since the late 1960s, when it was chosen to be a reference glacier as part of the United Nations International Hydrological Decade research initiative.
The Peyto Glacier has been studied extensively since the 1960s, and historical photos date back much farther, including this one taken in 1902. (Peyto Glacier (No. 149), 1902, Vaux Family fonds, V653 / NA 1127/Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies)
“You can go back and compare what we’re seeing today to what we saw 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 years ago,” said Mark Ednie, a scientist with Natural Resources Canada.
His team does fieldwork at Peyto and other glaciers in Western Canada multiple times a year, and submits their data to the World Glacier Monitoring Service, which compiles information from reference glaciers around the world.
Like Pomeroy, Ednie has seen Peyto melting before his eyes. When he started his work in 2011, there was barely any lake at the foot of the glacier, he said, and ice-cored moraines — piles of rock underlain by glacier ice — dotted the surface of the glacier.
“Now they’re practically all gone,” he said. “Those are, you know, 50-metre high mountains of ice covered in rock that are now gone completely.”
A key metric that Ednie’s team measures is mass balance, which he likens to the glacier’s bank account.
They measure snow depth and density in the spring, to see how much was deposited, and ice surface melt in the summer and fall, to see how much was withdrawn.
While Ednie’s team is still combing through this year’s numbers, early results taken from an upper point on the glacier show it’s on track for a historic melt year.
Data taken from halfway up the glacier shows that area has melted by about 1.6 metres from May to mid-August, roughly triple the average melt rate of 50 centimetres in the last seven years. The recent years’ average is itself an increase compared to the longer-term, he said, due in part to higher-than-usual annual air temperatures.
It is possible, he said, that a massive snowfall could mitigate some of the damage before the end of the year, but so far it’s looking bleak.
“It’s scary, in a way, looking at how these glaciers are changing,” said Ednie, who says the full extent of this year’s melt will become clear during their fall research trip.
The decline of Peyto Glacier over the last decade can be seen in these comparison photos from 2011, left, and 2021 — a year of record melt due to the heat wave in Western Canada. (Mark Ednie/Natural Resources Canada)
Through the 1970s, Peyto would post both positive and negative mass balances year to year, said Pomeroy. Some years it would grow, others it would shrink.
But lately, every year has been a negative year. The last time Peyto grew was around 2000, Pomeroy said, and some of the largest losses have come in recent years.
That’s largely because air temperatures are getting warmer, he said. Heat waves — such as in 2021 — make the problem worse.
“You think of what happens, you stick an ice cube outside on a hot day, that’s what happens to the glacier,” said Pomeroy.
This graphic shows how much Peyto glacier grew (blue) or shrank (red) from 1966 to 2022. The 1998 and 2021 heat waves can be seen as major melting years.
This year, a federal weather station in Banff National Park set a heat record for the month of May, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, and temperatures throughout the rest of the spring and summer have also been above seasonal averages.
Combine these factors with a lack of snowfall during the winter, and Pomeroy said he predicts this will be one of the worst years for glacier loss on Peyto ever recorded.
Smoke from this year’s record wildfire season is likely to make the situation worse, he said.
Research that Pomeroy and his colleagues conducted on the Athabasca Glacier suggests that while smoke can, to a degree, shield the ice from the sun, in the long-term the soot darkens the ice and can cause melt to increase by as much as 10 per cent.
The decline of the Rocky Mountain glaciers will eventually spell trouble for communities that depend on glacial meltwater, he said.
While most of the water that flows out of the Rockies comes from snow melt, Pomeroy said, glacier melt also provides a small but necessary source of water to several major river systems, such as the Bow, North Saskatchewan and Athabasca Rivers.
It becomes important when there are drought conditions at the end of the summer, when rains haven’t fallen and the snowpack has long since melted.
“[Glaciers have] provided a tremendous environmental benefit to Alberta,” he said. “It’s equivalent of having major reservoirs like the Americans have, but we never had to build the reservoir — nature provided the service for us.”
In the near-term, Pomeroy said we can likely expect higher-than usual flows in glacier-fed rivers during these hot, dry periods, as warm weather accelerates the level of melt. But eventually, the switch will flip, and as glaciers disappear we’ll be less able to count on them as a stop-gap source of water.
That means preparing for worsening conditions during periods of drought, he said, and maintaining more water in reservoirs for the late summer.
“We’ll see impacts of this across the Prairie provinces,” he said.
Although the glaciers’ decline is already well underway, Pomeroy said there is still time to mitigate some of the damage. Peyto is likely toast, but other, larger glaciers like Athabasca could still be saved.
“There’s still time — there’s not much, but it’s there, but it means having very strong policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, starting right now.”
For Ednie, the retreat of the Peyto Glacier means making contingency plans.
The growing lake at the terminus of the glacier means it’s harder to get onto Peyto — they’ve even joked about taking a boat for part of the trip. Walking around on top of the glacier is also precarious, he said, because of the number of crevasses that have formed.
Another problem: some of the team’s mass-balance stakes — metal rods drilled into the ice to measure ice melt — are melting off the glacier.
“This summer we had such an extreme amount of melt we ended up losing a number of instruments,” said Ednie, who said they’re now starting to use other tools, like drones, to flesh out their research.
Part of their solution, he said, is to begin work on a backup Peyto. Since 2010, his team has started fieldwork on the nearby Saskatchewan Glacier, which will replace Peyto as a focus of research once it’s no longer viable.
While the Saskatchewan Glacier is melting and receding at a similar rate to Peyto, it’s also fed by a very large ice field and has a much larger accumulation area, so it is expected to survive much longer, Ednie said.
Research suggests Peyto and other nearby glaciers will lose most of their mass by 2100, but Ednie believes if current trends continue it will be much sooner than that.
As a scientist, he said, it’s an interesting trend to observe firsthand.
As a human being, it’s a sad one. He often thinks of his young daughter during his research trips, and wants to share his work with her while he still can.
“I would love to bring her out there and show her these alpine glaciers before they’re gone,” he said.
“Hopefully she’ll remember them when she’s older.”
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
ITRC Optimizing Injection Strategies and In situ Remediation Performance – September 12, 1:00PM-3:15PM EDT (18:00-20:15 GMT). ITRC developed the guidance: Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1) and this associated training course to identify challenges that may impede or limit remedy effectiveness and discuss the potential optimization strategies, and specific actions that can be pursued, to improve the performance of in situ remediation by: refining and evaluating remedial design site characterization data; selecting the correct amendment; choosing delivery methods for site-specific conditions; creating design specifications; conducting performance evaluations, and optimizing under-performing in situ remedies. The target audience for this guidance and training course is: environmental consultants, responsible parties, federal and state regulators, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. This training will support users in efficiently and confidently applying the guidance at their remediation sites. An optimization case study is shared to illustrate the use of the associated guidance document. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org
ITRC PFAS Introductory Training – September 14, 2023, 1:00PM-3:00PM EDT (17:00-19:00 GMT). Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large and complex class of anthropogenic compounds whose prevalence in the environment are an emerging, worldwide priority in environmental and human health. The ITRC PFAS Team, formed in 2017, has prepared readily accessible materials to present PFAS information to stakeholders, regulators, and policy makers. The PFAS team represents a diverse cross-section of expertise and experience working on PFAS. This training will include emerging science on PFAS, including topics such as Properties of PFAS, Fate and Transport, Sampling and Analysis, and Treatment Technologies. The technical presentations will be focused on those who are relatively new to PFAS. The training will last approximately 90 minutes and include time for questions. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org
SERDP and ESTCP Transitioning from Active Remedies to Monitored Natural Attenuation – September 21, 12:00PM-1:30PM EDT (17:00-18:30 GMT). Join SERDP and ESTCP on Thursday, September 21, for a webinar featuring DoD-funded research efforts on transitioning from active to passive remedies at DoD sites. First, Dr. David Adamson (GSI Environmental Inc.) will discuss the development of a web-based application to assist site managers in assessing transition from active remedies to natural attenuation. Second, Dr. Paul Tratnyek (Oregon Health and Science University) will talk about the development of a quantitative framework for predicting abiotic attenuation under natural and transitional site management scenarios. For more information and to register, see https://serdp-estcp.org/
ITRC 6PPD & 6PPD-quinone: Understanding and Mitigating the Emerging Global Contaminants -September 28, 2023, 5:00PM-6:15PM EDT (21:00-22:15 GMT). The Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) together with the Australasian Land and Groundwater Association (ALGA) is holding a Workshop on the emerging contaminants, 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone. The Workshop will feature speakers from the United States, Australia, and Europe (NICOLE). The aim of this Workshop is to provide background on 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone, review the environmental and health risks, and highlight what is being done globally to find a solution. Time will be allotted for audience questions and answers. 6PPD-quinone was an unknown chemical until 2020 when Tian et al. identified it as the toxic agent killing coho salmon in Washington State. 6PPD-quinone is a reaction product of ozone and 6PPD, a tire anti-degradant that has been used for decades throughout the world and is recognized as one of the most toxic chemicals compared to substances with USEPA aquatic life criteria. In the short time since 6PPD-quinone’s isolation and characterization, scientists have been working to better understand its prevalence and behaviors in the environment. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org
ITRC Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms (Two Part Series) – October 5 and 12, 2023. Cyanobacteria are microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that occur naturally in all aquatic systems but most often in freshwater systems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply and become very abundant, discoloring the water throughout a water body or accumulating at the surface. These occurrences are known as blooms. Cyanobacteria may produce potent toxins (cyanotoxins) that pose a threat to human health. They can also harm wildlife and domestic animals, aquatic ecosystems, and local economies by disrupting drinking water systems and source waters, recreational uses, commercial and recreational fishing, and property values. It is likely that continued population growth, land use change, increases in nutrient inputs to our waterways, and the warming climate will favor proliferation of these problematic species. Providing a range of practical approaches to minimize these blooms and their likely societal and wildlife effects is critical to our future vitality, health, and economic prosperity. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org
New Documents and Web Resources
Research Brief 344: Benzene Exposure During Pregnancy Affects Later-Life Metabolic Health. Prenatal exposure to the air pollutant benzene may lead to a higher risk of metabolic diseases later in life, according to a study in mice partially funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP). Benzene affects neurodevelopment, predisposing offspring to harmful metabolic effects, according to a research team led by Marianna Sadagurski, Ph.D., of the Wayne State University SRP Center. For more information and to read the Brief, please visit https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/srp/researchbriefs/view.cfm?Brief_ID=344
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://www.clu-in.org/products/tins/. The following resources were included in recent issues:
- Improved Longevity and Selectivity of PFAS Groundwater Treatment Using Sub-Micron Powdered Activated Carbon and Ceramic Membrane Filter System
- Multi-Laboratory Validation Study for Analysis of PFAS by EPA Draft Method 1633: Wastewater, Surface Water, and Groundwater Matrices
- Ex Situ Soil Washing to Remove PFAS Adsorbed to Soils from Source Zones
- Biological Factors Influencing Sorption and Biodegradation of Chemicals of Concern on Particulate/Colloidal Activated Carbon
Upcoming Industry Events
Upcoming ESAA Events for the Remainder of 2023
ESAA Calgary Mixer – SOLD OUT
September 12th, 2023
Calgary
ESAA Lethbridge Mixer – 5 SPOTS REMAINING
September 13th, 2023
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Blanco Cantina, 319 – 6th Street, Lethbridge
RSVP Now
ESAA Grande Prairie Mixer – SOLD OUT
September 27th, 2023
Grande Prairie
RSVP Now
ESAA Lloydminster Mixer – 5 SPOTS REMAINING
October 3rd, 2023
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Three Trees Tap + Kitchen, 8120 – 44 Street, Lloydminster
ESAA RemTech 2023 – Program Now Available – 40 Delegate Passes Remaining
October 11th to October 13, 2023
Fairmont Banff Springs
Hotel and Conference Centre
404 Spray Avenue, Banff
ESAA PFASA Symposium – Full Program Now Available…
December 6th, 2023
8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Fairmont Palliser Calgary, 133 – 9th Avenue SW, Calgary
Grassland Restoration Forum Hands-on Courses and Events for 2023
The Grassland Restoration Forum is proud to be hosting the following in-person events in September and November. You can find course details and register online at https://grasslandrestorationforum.ca/news-events/. For more information, contact info.grf.ab@gmail.com or Donna Watt at corpirate@shaw.ca.
September Events:
How to Use Range Plant Community Guides and Recovery Strategies Manuals for Project and Reclamation Planning in Grasslands
Cassils Hall, near Brooks, Alberta – September 13th, 2023
This one day, classroom-based course teaches participants how to use the Range Plant Community Guides and introduces the second edition of the Recovery Strategies for Development in Native Grassland Manuals planning process. These tools will provide valuable context to interpret results of data required for Conservation Assessments – Strategic Siting and Pre-disturbance Site Assessments for Industrial Activities on Native Grassland to support restoration planning for new or existing disturbances in native grassland.
Hands on! Grassland Assessment Training
Antelope Creek Ranch, near Brooks, Alberta – September 14th, 2023
Designed for students, agrologists, ecologists, land stewards, regulators, planners and reclamation practitioners and anyone interested in learning more about native grassland ecosystems. This one day, field-based course offers training on common plant identification, use of soils and landscape mapping (AGRASID and GVI) in relation to Alberta’s Range Plant Community Guides and Range Health Assessment Manuals. Designed to classify and assess grassland plant communities, these tools are critical for pre‐site assessments, reclamation design and restoration of native grassland.
November Events:
Our Perennial Gathering! GRF Fall Information Session
Claresholm, Alberta – November 16th, 2023
The one day Fall Information Session gathers a variety of industry and grassland stakeholders to exchange current information on grassland restoration and conservation through a variety of presentations and mini updates. The theme this year is SEEDS. A meeting of the Southern Alberta Native Seed Collaborative (SANSC) is planned for the following day.
Coming Soon:
Dry Mixedgrass & Mixedgrass Recovery Strategies 2nd Approximations
Updates will be sent out as soon as they are available in digital and printed format!
13th Annual Science Advisory Board for Contaminated Sites Conference on Contaminated Sites
ESAA Job Board
Check out the new improved ESAA Job Board. Members can post ads for free.
Current Listings:
- Intermediate/Senior Environmental Specialist – Summit
- Environmental Specialist – Summit
- Labourer (Various) – Summit
- Senior Hydrogeologist – Summit
- Environmental Specialist – City of Medicine Hat
- INTERMEDIATE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST OR TECHNOLOGIST – Matrix Solutions Inc. (A Montrose Environmental Company)
- Environmental Engineers/Scientists/Technologists (Various Locations) – Nichols Environmental (Canada) Ltd.
- Project Manager Regina, Saskatchewan – Nichols Environmental (Canada)
- Soil Handling Monitor –Paragon Soil & Environmental Consulting Inc.
- Occupational Hygienist Edmonton, Alberta – Nichols Environmental (Canada) Ltd. Ltd.