The energy industry took a verbal beating during a recent conference in Regina, but a spokesperson for one energy company said most developers are trying to do their best for the environment.
Catherine Watson, design and construction environmental adviser for Encana, said her employers always consider how they can extract a resource with minimal impact.
“Not all companies are created equal,” Watson said.
During the prairie conservation and endangered species conference, many speakers singled out the negative effects of energy development on habitat and species population.
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Watson said energy companies operate under federal and provincial requirements when it comes to how and where they do business.
Well sites are chosen according to distance from other wells, future sites and the type of well, she said. Companies recognize the benefits of minimizing their effect on the environment and choose minimal disturbance techniques if possible.
However, she said some landowners want companies to drill more wells so they can earn money from having the wells on their land. Landowners are sometimes afraid to talk about the species at risk located on their land, but companies would be better off if they knew ahead of time, she added.
Watson said legislation such as the Species At Risk Act must be better defined and regulators must be better aligned.
For example, there are no guidelines on which activities are acceptable or prohibited under SARA, she said. Harmonizing requirements under the various pieces of federal and provincial legislation could create the certainty that energy companies need, she said.
Regulations must reflect the fact that the physical assets of energy development can remain in place for decades.
SARA and other legislation “need to provide clear direction and flexibility, along with workable solutions for the stakeholders,” Watson said.
Companies now have difficulty determining how to prevent or limit damage to species at risk, she said.
Typically, Encana does a sweep of about 500 metres in the area where a pipeline is proposed, she added.
One conference participant said a qualified biologist is supposed to assess native prairie before any activity begins. However, another noted that there is no requirement that this process be followed.
Watson said the problem often is that qualified personnel can’t be found to do the work.
