Birds euthanized after landing on Syncrude tailings pond
Posted Oct 26, 2010 9:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
More waterfowl have landed on a Syncrude Canada tailings pond near Fort McMurray and freezing rain is getting the blame.
This comes just days after the company was fined millions in the deaths of 1,600 birds in 2008 that also landed on tailings ponds.
Syncrude says 230 birds were killed after landing on one of its ponds in this latest incident.
The company says its deterrent systems were operating and air cannons, flare gun, as well as air horns were used to try scare the birds away.
In a release, Syncrude says the birds appeared exhausted from flying in the freezing rain and were unable to fly anymore. Staff reported some birds landed on roads and parking lots.
Environment Minister Rob Renner says he is frustrated.
“It’s discouraging in the extreme,” Renner said. “I thought we had moved the agenda significantly forward so that this kind of incident would be minimized, but the fact of the matter is that we are now dealing with what appears to be a similar incident.
“The timing,” he added, “obviously, couldn’t be worse.”
Premier Ed Stelmach agrees.
“It just happened last week and now we have this other incident, which is not only frustrating, it makes one angry,” Premier Stelmach told the legislature. “But on the other hand, let’s get the full details about the investigation.”
