Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak about the environment and the concerns of Fisherman Lake near Fort Liard. There is a difference between monitoring and remediation, just like there is a difference between a lake and a tailings pond. I have some concerns about the contamination of Fisherman Lake in the Pointed Mountain Gas Field near Fort Liard. This lake provides for seven families of Fort Liard. They have been there for generations. Groundwater, surface water and soil in the Fisherman Lake area, only 20 kilometres north of the hamlet, is contaminated after years of oil and gas activity, but remediation efforts seem sluggish.
Fisherman Lake has a long history of water quality concerns. Production drilling in the Pointed Mountain Gas Field started in the mid-1960s. The property has had various owners, the most recent being Apache Canada that took over from BP in 2010. Ten years ago the field was shut in after three flow line failures. Shortly afterwards, the wells were abandoned and the pipelines removed, but surface and groundwater naturally flows towards Fisherman Lake.
Residents have noticed changes in the water and the fish five years after the spill. The environmental site assessment found high levels of solidity, hydrocarbons and metals. Last summer Canadian Forest Oil re-entered two abandoned wells that test for gas reserves. Companies must submit waste disposal and remediation plans before the federal government can permit drilling. What are these plans? How are they being implemented and who will cover that cost? Annual site reporting, testing and inspection took place as recently as last fall as required in the existing land use plan, but BP Canada only authorized Apache to work under its land use and the plan expires in June of 2012, this year.
I understand that until we negotiate a strong Devolution Agreement, ENR can only take limited action to clean up Fisherman Lake. I urge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to forward concerns about responsible remediation to federal regulators. Responsibility for land use plans must be clear to all stakeholders. Everyone has a role in being stewards to our land and resources and I will be asking the Minister questions on this topic at the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
