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7TuesdayNovember26201316665-113Ave.NWEdmontonAlbertaForInquiriesandQuotes780-481-9473TollFree1-855-481-9473Emailinforighttracksystemsinc.comRIGHTTRACKSYSTEMSIntSnowcatPartsAccessories-Tracksreplacementtrackparts-Rebuildablesprockets-AllundercarriageEnvironmentTailingsSpillAthabascaRiversamplesshownoimmediaterisktohealthAlbertachiefmedicalofcerFirstNationsdoingownmonitoringdownstreaminFortChipewyanByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheAlbertagovernmentreleaseditsfirstofficialwaterqualityresultsfromtheAthabascaRiverlastTuesdaysayingthemas-siveObedMountaincoalminetailingsspilltravel-ingdownstreamposesnoimmediaterisktohumanhealthdespiteexceed-ingsomeparametersforhealthandenvironmentalguidelines.IamcondentthatatnotimewastherearisktothepublicsdrinkingwatersaidDr.JimTalbottheprovinceschiefmedicalofcerofhealth.Whiletherewasatemporaryin-creaseinsomecontami-nantsthoselevelsarere-turningtonormal.Theresultsfromthefirstweekofsamplingshowedelevatedconcentrationsofcontaminantsimmedi-atelydownstreamfromthespillinPlanteCreekatthemouthofthecreekwhereitenterstheAthabascaandthen40kmdownstreamintheriver.Allsamplesofwaterslushandsedimentarebeingana-lyzedformajorionstraceelementslikeleadmercuryandseleniumandpoly-cyclicaromatichydrocar-bonsPAHsamongotherparameters.Withinthespillwaterqualityguidelinesfordrink-ingwaterprotectionofaquaticlifeandforlive-stockweregreatlyexceededforanumberofmetalsin-cludingaluminumbariumironleadmanganesesil-veruraniumandzincwithaluminumpresentingatover24timesthesafelim-itsforhumanhealthandenvironment.Severalknowncancer-causingPAHswerede-tectedinconcentrationsdoubleorquadrupletheguidelinesforprotectionofaquaticlifebetweenNov.1and4.Butwaterqualitysamplesupstreamanddownstreamoftheplume-beforeandafterthepassingofthespill-showlowconcentrationsofmetalsandPAHsastheplumedissipatesandsedi-mentssettletothebottomoftheriveraccordingtothereport.Themajorityofcontam-inatedsedimentsisnowlikelyresidingalongthebedsofPlanteCreekandtheAthabascaRiverandcontaminantlevelsareexpectedtocontinuetodeclineasthespillmakesitswaydowntheriverlesseningtherisktohumanhealth.SamplingisoccurringdailyatmultiplesitesandAlbertaEnvironmentandSustainableResourceDe-velopmentESRDcontin-uestotracktheplumebyvisualandreal-timemea-surementsoftheriverssus-pendedsedimentmattertoconrmtheplumeslocationwithintheriver.AsofSaturdayNov.24theplumehadpassedFortMcMurraytravelingat1.5kmhrandwasexpectedtoreachLakeAthabascaonDec.4.Reportsfromthecompanysaythesedimentpathhasdis-sipatedtothepointwhereitisnearlyindistinguishablefromtheriverwater.Asaprecautionthegov-ernmentisstillwarningcommunitiestorefrainfromdrawingwaterfromtheriverasthe150km-longplumeispassingbyandhasremindedresidentsnottoconsumerawuntreatedriverwateratanytimere-gardlessofthespill.Privateindividualsusingtheriverastheirdrinkingwatersourceareadvisedtondanalternativewhentheplumeisintheirarea.Thereportnotesthatcommunitywatertreat-mentplantsshouldbeca-pableofeffectivelyremov-ingthesedimentandanyattachedmetals.ThoughthegovernmenthasconrmedimpactstosheriesESRDmaintainsthefullextentofthereleaseontheecosystemwillre-quirelong-termmonitoringaswillpotentiallong-termhealthimpacts.Weveimplementedanin-tensivesamplingprogramandweareworkingcloselywithexpertsatAlbertaHealthAlbertaHealthServicesandotheragencies.Determiningthefullextentofimpactstotheecosystemwillrequirelong-termmonitoringandongoingpartnershipwithcross-governmentexpertssaidDr.ColinCookeawaterqualityspecialistwithESRD.FirstNationsmonitoringwaterEnvironmentalconsultantBruceMacleanwhocoor-dinatescommunity-basedwatermonitoringeffortswithFirstNationsinFortChipewyansaidtherearepersistingconcernsaboutwaterqualitydespitethemessagingcomingfromtheprovince.Waterqualitydatafromtherstdaysofthespillin-dicatemanycontaminantsofconcerntobeaboveCCMEguidelinessome70timesabovetheguidelines.ThisincludesPAHscadmiumarsenicleadseleniumsil-verthalliumandevenura-nium.Thesenumbersandcontaminantsrepresentrealdangertohumanhealthandassociateddrinkingwaterhesaidaddingthattherecouldbelong-termeffectsonfallspawningsh.Itwillbedifculttoas-sesswithoutsomeserioussamplingeffortssomeofwhichmayneedtotakeplaceinthespring.Wecanassumethatsurvivalofsheggsinthepathoftheplumewillbecompromised.CouncillorAnthonyLa-douceuroftheAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationinFortChipewyansaidthegovernmentsmessagingiscontradictoryandsupportstheneedforindependentmonitoring.ImconfusedwhytheAlbertagovernmenthasorderedacleanupwhentherstinitialreportwasthatthebreachwassafeandwouldntposeanyharmhesaid.LadouceursaidACFNwillconductitsownwaterqualitymonitoringaroundthecom-munityasthespillpasses.Itwillbedifficulttoassesswithoutsomeserioussamplingeffortssomeofwhichmayneedtotakeplaceinthespring.Wecanassumethatsurvivaloffisheggsinthepathoftheplumewillbecompromised.BruceMacleanMacleanEnvironmentalConsultingPhotoAlbertaEnvironmentBermsareinstalledatthemouthofPlanteCreekwhereitmeetstheAthabascaRiverthesiteofamassivecoaltailingsspillthatoccurrednearHintonAlta.onOct.31.