Photo from the Saskatoon Lake Hall Facebook page

By Curtis Galbraith

Community

Open house Tuesday for local group that works on balance between environment, energy industry

Feb 8, 2020 | 5:30 AM

A group that works to have a balance between the environment and the oil and gas industry is offering people a chance to get involved.

The Wapiti Area Synergy Partnership is holding an open house Tuesday at Saskatoon Lake Hall.

Board Chair Francie George says WASP includes landowners, local politicians, industry representatives, and people from the Alberta Energy Regulator.

“Our vision is to foster (a) proactive and collaborative approach among stakeholders in energy development while protecting the environment and facilitating communication and co-operation amongst petroleum industry partners, regulators, and community members regarding energy development in the area.”

She says some are worried about decreased water levels and that many were upset when a company was given a temporary diversion license last spring to use lake water for drilling and fracking.

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“Since Saskatoon Lake is bordered by Saskatoon Island Provincial Park, and has been designated as a federal migratory bird sanctuary. Over the last century, the lake level has been very low. The Saskatoon Lake Level Designation Committee, which we are hoping to form at our WASP open house, would include both community and industry members who would meet several times over the course of a few months with Alberta Environment and Parks and Alberta Energy Regulator staff to discuss the possibility of designating a cut-off lake level, where no water could be withdrawn from Saskatoon Lake.

There will also be a presentation on the Duvernay and Montney gas formations and the Coastal Gas Link pipeline in B.C. and what would happen to international trade if the pipeline is not built.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, with supper at 6 p.m. with the speakers following at 7 p.m.

George says WASP works in the area bordered by the Grande Prairie Airport, the B.C border, Emerson Trail, and Pipestone Creek, but anyone interested is welcome at the open house and to monthly meetings. Those happen the second Tuesday of every month at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum.

More on WASP can be found on its website.