Oil and gas activity can have a wide range of impacts on natural ecosystems, from the initial exploration stage, through development, production and decommissioning of infrastructure.

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Prairie Bluff, Castle (N. Douglas)

Moose Mountain well, Kananaskis (N. Douglas)
According to Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, oil and gas well reclamation is progressing at a much slower rate than well abandonment. This is resulting in a buildup of uncertified wells. On average, between 2002 and 2011, 14,227 wells were drilled per year, 4,111 were abandoned and 1,682 certified. This indicates that over the last 10 years, the certification rate has been approximately 40.9 per cent of the abandonment rate (Oil and Gas Reclamation, Alberta ESRD, March 2012)
Position
Alberta Wilderness Association believes that hydrocarbon exploration and development should be regulated in a manner that is consistent with the maintenance of wilderness values. There is a fundamental need for the maintenance of wilderness that is free of industrial incursion. Outside of such areas, exploration and development must be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner.
2020
In February, AWA learned that Alberta-based Seven Generations Energy was the first Canadian natural gas producer to receive Equitable Origins’ (EO) certification to the EO100 standard. AWA has since engaged with Equitable Origins certifiers to support a sound application of the biodiversity provisions of their oil and gas certification, which we believe could help improve energy industry land-use practices. Since June, AWA has engaged directly with Seven Generations Energy around biodiversity concerns and opportunities in its Kakwa region lease holdings.
In early April, AWA voiced concerns about Alberta’s March 31 decision to suspend most energy industry environmental compliance reporting requirements. We were unconvinced that this was a pandemic safety-related measure since all data gathering and record-keeping requirements remained. We joined First Nations and other ENGOs in raising concerns when Alberta further suspended most environmental monitoring requirements in late April and early May; this occurred at a time when other economic activities were re-opening with pandemic safety measures in place. Although reporting and monitoring resumed in July 2020, AWA remains concerned about the interruption of compliance reporting and loss of data collection without transparent justification.
July 11, 2013
AWA News Release: Alberta Defers Logging in Ranges of Threatened Woodland Caribou
AWA news release. Following up on their May decision to defer the sale of mineral…
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• Boreal Forest
• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
June 13, 2013
Zama City Pipeline Spill Raises Questions about Disclosure
The recent pipeline spill of over 9.5 million litres of industrial waste water north of…
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• Hay-Zama
• Oil and Gas
• Pipelines
May 24, 2013
AWA Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders: Thanks and Next Steps Needed for Little Smoky Caribou
AWA Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders. You have made a difference! In early May, the Alberta…
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• Action Alerts
• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
May 7, 2013
AWA’s Letter to Alberta Energy Minister: Thanks and Next Steps
AWA’s letter to Alberta Energy Minister Hughes thanking the Alberta government for deferring new mineral…
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• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
May 3, 2013
AWA News Release: Alberta Defers New Energy Leasing in Two Caribou Herd Ranges
For the first time, Alberta is deferring the sale of new mineral rights across the…
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• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
May 2, 2013
AB Energy Minister Defers Issuing New Mineral Rights in Two Caribou Ranges
In a May 2, 2013 letter to Alberta Wilderness Association, Alberta Energy Minster Ken Hughes…
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• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
April 24, 2013
AWA News Release: Alberta Again Violates Caribou Policies With Today’s Energy Leasing
Today the Alberta government will once again violate its own caribou policy and the federal…
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• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
March 20, 2013
AWA News Release: March 2013 Energy Lease Sales Break Alberta Caribou Policy
The Alberta government is selling new petroleum and natural gas lease sales in five threatened…
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• Bistcho
• Caribou
• Chinchaga
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
February 6, 2013
AWA News Release: Stop Alberta Energy Leases in Threatened Little Smoky Caribou Range
In violation of Alberta’s 2011 woodland caribou policy that places an immediate priority on maintaining…
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• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
February 6, 2013
AWA Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders: Request AB Energy Minister Defer New Leases in Threatened Little Smoky Caribou Range
In violation of Alberta’s 2011 woodland caribou policy that places an immediate priority on maintaining…
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• Action Alerts
• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
February 6, 2013
Open Letter to AB Energy Minister: Defer New Leases within Threatened Little Smoky Caribou Range
An open letter to Alberta Minister of Energy Ken Hughes, requesting deferral of planned energy…
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• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
December 18, 2012
AWA New Release: New Road in Little Smoky Caribou Range Mocks Alberta Policy
A new road built in the last several weeks by Tourmaline Oil Corp. within critical…
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• Caribou
• Little Smoky
• Oil and Gas
• Wolves