Friends of the Lubicon
PO Box 444 Stn D,
Etobicoke ON M9A 4X4
Tel: (416) 763-7500
Email: fol (at) tao (dot) ca
www.lubicon.ca
May 26, 2005
Below please find a letter from the Alberta Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, David Coutts, addressed to Alberta Liberal MLA Bill Bonko.
Mr. Coutts says that Deep Well Oil and Gas "has acknowledged it was at fault for not ensuring that all appropriate approvals were in place" before they proceeded to tear up Lubicon Traditional Territory in preparation for their oil sands exploitation project.
Mr. Coutts adds that Deep Well "is currently under a suspension order by the Energy and Utilities Board and will bear the costs of reclamation if required" for the site they cleared in Lubicon Traditional Territory.
Things obviously aren’t as rosy as Deep Well keeps telling its investors and potential investors.
* * * * * * *
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Office of the Minister
May 25, 2005
Mr. Bill Bonko, MLA
Edmonton-Decore Constituency
201 Legislature Annex
9718 107 Street
Edmonton, AB T5K 1E4
Dear Mr. Bonko:
Thank you for your questions regarding oil well drilling on public land near Sawn Lake in the Legislature April 20, 2005. I am pleased to provide you with the following information.
This matter was reviewed and I can confirm that no work is occurring on the site in question. The preparatory work done on any site, including the clearing of trees is governed by Section 11 of the Oil and Gas Conversation Act, administered by the Energy and Utilities Board. I understand the company has acknowledged it was at fault for not ensuring that all appropriate approvals were in place. The company is currently under a suspension order by the Energy and Utilities Board and will bear the costs of reclamation if required.
I trust this information is useful.
Yours truly,
David C. Coutts
Minister
Cc Honourable Greg Melchin, Minister of Energy
Honourable Guy Boutilier, Minister of Environment
fol-request at masses.tao.ca