Improvements Needed in Oil and Gas Industry Oversite
By 250 News
Thursday, February 11, 2010 01:36 PM
Victoria, B.C.- An audit of the BC Oil and Gas Commission has found that it must improve its oversight of oil and gas sites in order to adequately manage the risks of contamination, says Auditor General John Doyle in his latest report.
"The oil and gas industry in B.C. has seen significant growth over the last decade, which has the benefit of increased revenues for the province, but also carries greater risks of contamination," said Doyle. "British
Columbians value the contributions the oil and gas industry makes to the province, but they also want government to ensure that industry meets its obligations to protect the environment and restore sites."
The report, titled 'Oil and Gas Site Contamination Risks: Improved oversight needed', specifically addresses the Oil and Gas Commission's oversight of upstream contamination risks, which include such processes as exploration, well completion, and production. In addition to the environmental and human health risks of contamination, there is the additional risk that some well operators may not meet their legal responsibilities to restore sites, due to their financial situation.
Similar issues were raised in a report in 2002/03 on provincial contaminated sites, including: an incomplete inventory of contaminated sites and their status; the inability to provide information about the risk borne by the Province for contaminated sites; and the need to assess provincial performance security provisions to ensure operators fulfill their site restoration responsibilities. The Auditor General says they also found the accountability information the BC Oil and Gas Commission provides to the Legislative Assembly and public is not sufficient to allow them to understand how effectively oil and gas site contamination risks are being managed.
"I had expected more progress because this is not our first audit dealing with contaminated sites in British Columbia," said Doyle, "However, I am encouraged by the initiatives that were underway at the completion of the audit. If fully implemented, they would help to better protect the province from the risks of oil and gas site contamination."
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Posted by: Goldenbear on February 12 2010 8:24 AM
they are traitors, they will continue to hold this province down while it is raped.
btw, are the retards in pg still applauding stephen harper for dropping in on his accomplices at the leg and giving bc a 'golden shower'?
lets get ready for the 50 years of olympic debt soon to be acknowledged, and blamed on unions who had nothing to do with it (the olympics were built 99% scab).
rjm