Proposed oilsands mine poses 'high mortality risk' to bison and birds, Environment Canada says

Environment and Climate Change Canada raised a litany of concerns with Teck Resources's proposed Frontier Oilsands mine during the last week of hearings.

Environment Canada was among severalfederal government departments that presented on Monday during thepublic hearing for the mega oilsands project.

• Eco-group tells hearing Frontier oilsands megaproject would be a 'carbon disaster'
• Fort McMurray region's Indigenous groups support oilsands mine, company tells review panel

Frontier is a $20.6-billion mega mine that's undergoing public hearings in Fort McMurray beforea joint review panel established bythe Alberta Energy Regulator and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.

Frontier, which was first proposed as a four-phase project in 2011, would be built in two phases of 170,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) and 90,000 bpdwitha planned mine life of 41 years.

The mine's lease area, 110 kilometres north of FortMcMurray, covers292 square kilometres.

Environment Canada joined the region's First Nations in raising concerns about the impact of the mine on the health of the Ronald Lake Bison herd. The herd's current range overlaps with the Frontier lease area.

Susanne Forbrich, a regional director and the team lead for Environment Canada at the hearing, told the panel there is concern the mine would cause significant habitat loss for the wood bison herd.

Forbrich warned a loss of habitatwould result in the depletion of the herd and facilitate disease transmission,as seen in other herds in Alberta.

"It is Environment and Climate Change Canada's view that the project represents a high risk to the Ronald Lake herd," Forbrich told the panel. "And that some of Teck's mitigation measures are potentially uncertain or ineffective."

Current bird deterrents don't work: Environment Canada

Forbrich also raised concerns that the mine would killmigratory birds that breed in Wood Buffalo National Park.

Frontier represents a "high mortality risk" particularly for whooping cranes one of North America's rarest birds and other migratory species, said Forbrich.

Environment Canadafears the mine would create more tailings ponds, which the cranes could mistake for a lake despite bird deterrent efforts, she said.

"This conclusion is based on evidence that whooping cranes land near the proposed mine, that whooping cranes have landed at existing oilsands mines and at tailings ponds despite the availability of bird deterrent systems," Forbrich told the panel.

Environment Canada submitted a list of recommendations for bison, whooping cranes and other wildlife the proposed mine would impact.

When it comes to bison it's calling for Teck to fund independent studies to understand the impact of the mine on the bison.

For whooping cranes, it called for the reduction of the size of tailings ponds and for the use of mitigation measures such as drones to patrol the area, and to fund studies into cumulative effects of the oilsands on migratory birds.

• MORE FORTMcMURRAYNEWS:'Braiding Western science and Indigenous knowledge': New environmental monitoring program launches
• MORE FORTMcMURRAYNEWS:Wharf worries: Northern Alberta community worries about the privatization of their port
• MOREFORTMcMURRAYNEWS:'Learning as we go': Alberta's oilsands grapple with cannabis legalization

In documents filed with the joint panel Teck said it disagreesthe Frontier Mine would pose a significant risk to the bison or migratory birds. Butthe mining company has agreed to fund studies to monitor bison and bird health and the effect of its mitigation measures.

Teck, First Nations and other groups are scheduled tocross examine Environment Canada and other federal agencies on Tuesday and over the next threedaysthe last week of the public hearings before closing statements.

Connect with David Thurton, CBC'sFort McMurraycorrespondent, onFacebook,Twitter,LinkedInor email him atdavid.thurton@cbc.ca