Alison Redford écrit à John Kerry (en anglais)

8/12/2019 Alison Redford crit John Kerry (en anglais)

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Premier of AlbertaOffice of the Premier 307 Legislature Building, Edmonton Alberta, Canada T5K 286

M R 4 2 14The Honorable John KerrySecretary of StateUnited States Department of State2201 C Street NWWashington, DC 20520USA

Dear Secretary Kerry:At each stage of the comprehensive review of the Keystone XL Pipeline (KXL), Albertahas respectfully sought to contribute to the State Department s work. I appreciate theopportunity to contribute comments to your deliberations during the National InterestDetermination phase of this process, including a technical analysis of several keyissues, which is included as an addendum under cover of this letter.While KXL has become a high-profile issue in the context of Canada-U.S. relations, it isone part of a large and evolving North American energy network. Alberta agrees withthe State Department s finding that oil sands production and Bakken crude will continueto grow and reach markets in the coming years. North American policy-makers nowhave an opportunity to set policies that will encourage the safe and efficienttransportation of our growing energy resources. From Alberta s perspective, KXLapproval would create positive outcomes in the following areas:Transportation SafetyApproval of KXL will reduce the risks associated with the transportation of crude acrossNorth America. Alberta believes that rail transportation is safe and has an important roleto play in linking producers to consumers, but a pipeline built to rigorous standards isclearly preferable to other transportation options in terms of safety and environmentalrisk, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We agree with Secretary Moniz that itis preferable to pursue more pipeline infrastructure to enhance the reliability ofNorth America s energy transportation infrastructure. This has implications forcommunities across Canada and the U.S. and must be a fundamental consideration fordecision-makers.

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2Shared Efforts to Address Climate Change Through Further CollaborationAlberta and the U.S. share similar challenges as major and growing producers ofhydrocarbons that are committed to emissions reductions and responsible development.However, our increased independence from off shore oil sources also givesNorth America an opportunity to lead in the reduction of GHG emissions from theproduction of fossil fuels. As the only major oil supplier to the U.S. that has a regulatedprice on carbon, I would like to re-affirm Alberta's willingness to work with U.S. partnersto reduce emissions from the oil and gas sector.Alberta remains strongly committed to partnerships and aggressive pursuit ofinnovations that advance emission reductions and responsible environmentalmanagement. For example, our government: invested 1.3 billion in two commercial-scale carbon capture and storage CCS)projects, set to start operations in 2015, and ensured that learning generated from theprojects is proactively distributed to the global CCS community; utilized a portion of our Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund,which has collected nearly 400 million through our industrial carbon levy, to support aGrand Challenge open to companies and researchers around the world seeking newopportunities to utilize carbon as a commercial product; and actively participates in the World Bank Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnershipto combat a critical source of emissions from energy development around the world.Few significant fossil fuel producers in the world have put a price on carbon, committedsuch significant funding to technology on a per-capita basis and taken steps toproactively share innovation. I am proud of Alberta's story and confident that ourpolicies will deliver results that are aligned with U.S. priorities domestically andinternationally as we all seek to pursue responsible fossil fuel development.A positive decision would allow us to move past the recent focus on specific projectsand re-engage on the broader question of how to work together to reduce GHGemissions and position North America as the most sustainable source of fossil fuels.Creating the Certainty Required to Build Needed InfrastructureCanada and the U.S. are seeing significant transformations in our energy markets thatform the basis for increased competitiveness, trade and economic opportunity for ourtwo countries. As many have observed, maximizing the benefits of our new productionwill require significant investment in infrastructure to link new and growing supplies tomarkets. Alberta agrees with President Obama's view that in today's economy, firstclass jobs flow to first-class infrastructure. Approval after rigorous study would re-affirma commitment to regulatory certainty, supporting the creation of opportunity across ourcontinent and grasping the full possibilities created by our growing energy production .

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3Efficient Delivery of Energy Resourcesy government is committed to opening new markets for all of Alberta's exports, but weremain deeply committed to the U.S. as the natural market for our international exports.As the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) shows, KXL will

have little impact on oil sands production levels but could have implications for the costof transporting crude into the U.S. market. Alberta believes it is in the interest ofproducers and consumers to create the most efficient transportation link between ourprovince and natural markets within the U.S.Commitment to Responsible Development and PartnershipAlberta continues to take a comprehensive approach to managing the environmentalimpacts of activities taking place on our landscape to ensure the environmental, social,health and economic outcomes Albertans expect and demand are achieved. Thisapproach includes setting cumulative triggers and limits for ambient environment andmonitoring, evaluating and reporting on environmental conditions relative to thesetriggers and limits in a scientifically sound and transparent manner.The Alberta Energy Regulator ensures that the province is at the forefront of pipelinesafety and industry performance through rigorous regulatory enforcement, and Albertagovernment departments continue to support the regulator with the policies andresearch necessary to keep pace with growing production and increasing expectations.All of our regulatory development and research is available to be shared with agenciesin the U.S. and around the world.Oil Trade and Commitment to Open MarketsAlberta continues to be the largest exporter of crude oil and natural gas to the U.S. and,as the FSEIS clearly shows, growing Alberta production will continue to make its way toU.S. markets over the coming decades. Unlike some other major suppliers of crude tothe U.S., Alberta remains committed to open energy trade. Consistent with theNorth American Free Trade Agreement, our energy trade is governed by marketdynamics, not geopolitical agendas. This contributes to energy security for the U.S. andeconomic certainty for U.S. consumers and investors.Canada is the largest export destination for 35 U.S. states, and more than 8 millionAmerican jobs depend on trade and investment in Canada. Between 2011 and 2035,development of Alberta's oil sands will contribute an estimated 141 billion to382 billion to the U.S. economy; create or preserve an average of 62,720 to160,360 jobs per year in the U.S.; and support wages between 2.7 billion and7.2 billion per year. There are more than 2,400 companies in the U.S. that currentlysupply goods and services to the Canadian oil sands and industry. The oil sands arejust one example of why a dollar spent on Canadian exports yields 90 cents in returnspending on American goods and services.

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A t ~ GovernmentU.S. Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Keystone XL

GOVERNMENT of ALBERTA TECHNICAL SUBMISSIONThe Province of Alberta, Canada has conducted a comprehensive reviewof the FinalSupplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the Keystone Pipeline Projectreleased on January 31 2014 by U.S. Department of State.ALBERTA ENERGYCarbon Lifecycle IntensityAlberta has found the FSEIS lifecycle assessment (LCA) methodology explained in Appendix Uhas improved upon the previous analysis in the March 2013 Draft SEIS (Appendix W), andenhances the analysis of relevant carbon lifecycle research available for crude oils.The consistent use of incremental analytics provided a strong foundation in the Draft SEIS,matching incremental greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to expected incremental supply effects.t is not surprising then that additional analysis into the uncertaintyof process efficiency and U

reference crude trends only serves to reinforce the conclusions reached in the earlier work.Alberta recognizes that LCA research in areas of Flaring, Fugitive Emissions and Venting (FFV)emissions is still in a preliminary state, and while this is good reason for inclusionof a detailedFFV uncertainty analysis in the LCA section, Alberta respects the State Department s decision tofocus analysis on areas with greater certainty. Going forward, Alberta will continue work toimprove global technical understandingofthe impact ofFFV emissions by efforts like our activeinvolvement in the World Bank: Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR). As the stateof LCA for crude oils pathways continues to evolve, further work may serve to refine the results,including exploring the range of uncertainties. For example, future assessments may want toinclude a detailed FFV uncertainty analysis in the LCA section. Alberta will continue to furtherglobal technical understandingof the impact of FFV as part of crude LCA as demonstrated byour active involvement in the GGFR.Energy Market ScenariosThe Government of Alberta has extensively reviewed the various market scenarios contained inthe FSEIS and has generally come to the conclusion that its contents align very closely with ourunderstanding of the existing and emerging market dynamics in the Western CanadianSedimentary Basin. Many of the infrastructure trends we are currently witnessing, particularlythe remarkable growth of crude-by-rail in our region, are well articulated in the FSEIS. t alsodemonstrates strong understanding of, and appreciation for, the current regional situation andhow it relates to continental and international energy markets, where crude oil remains a largelyfungible commodity.


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A t ~ GovernmentGiven the robust understanding demonstrated in the report that this project represents the mostefficient, reliable and safe means ofmoving energy that will otherwise utilize other means ofgetting to market, Alberta remains hopeful that the pipeline project will e decided on in a timelyfashion for the benefit of both countries.Diluted Bitumen and Potential Releases Spills)Overall, the FSEIS examination of diluted bitumen dilbit) as it pertains to pipeline integrity andspill response considerations is both comprehensive and very comparable to what Alberta hasobserved with decades of experience transporting this form of crude oil.The information presented in the report helps highlight potential knowledge gaps in thetransportation of diluted bitumen. Both Alberta and Canada are currently pursuing research ondilbit flammability, biodegradation, and spill behavior in a marine environment, to name justsome of the ongoing research currently underway. Once complete, our intent is to distribute thisinformation to ensure incident responders on both sides of the border are able to make informeddecisions in the event of a release of diluted bitumen into the environment.Pipeline Integrity and Oil SandsAlberta was very pleased to see the results of the US National Academy of Sciences studyincorporated in the FSEIS. This study definitively concluded that dilbit does not have unique orextreme properties that make it more likely than other crude oils to cause internal degradation totransmission pipelines from corrosion or erosion and that dilbit has density and viscosity rangesthat are comparable with those of other crude oils.It is notable that the US spill incident data detailed in the report indicates that pipelines carryingdilbit are not more prone to failure than other pipeline systems carrying conventional crude oils.The FSEIS did note the relative age of some of the Alberta data used for comparison. Morerecent data is now available as the Alberta Energy Regulator AER) has finalized an updatedpipeline performance report entitled Pipeline Performance in Alberta 1990-20 II. Reviewingcrude pipeline incident rates in Alberta for the period I990-20 II is particularly notable as oilsands-derived crudes were a very small portion of the energy moving through Alberta pipelinesin 1990, but it had become by far the predominant source of crude oil moving through Albertapipelines by 2011; yet rates of internal corrosion related incidents in Alberta have actuallydeclined in recent years.Carbon Capture and StorageThe Government ofAlberta is investing I.3 billion over I5 years in two large-scale carboncapture and storage CCS) projects in the oil sands sector. Combined, these two projects willhelp Alberta to reduce its GHG emissions by 2.76 million tonnes per year- the equivalent oftaking 550,000 cars offof the road. The Alberta Carbon Trunk Line project will capture carbondioxide from an oil sands refinery and fertilizer plant, and then transport it through a

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kbeb B overnment240 kilometre pipeline to enhanced oil recovery projects in central Alberta. The SturgeonRefinery will be the first refinery in Canada to have built in carbon capture. This project willstore approximately 1.68 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Alberta s other large-scaleCCS project, the Quest Project, will capture carbon dioxide from an oil sands refinery andtransport it 80 kilometres, where it will be permanently stored over two kilometres below theearth s surface. The Quest Project will store approximately 1.08 million tonnes of carbon dioxideper year. Both projects will begin to come on line in 2015.Recognizing the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, both the United States and Albertahave invested human and capital resources into developing CCS projects. Alberta and the UnitedStates have collaborated on a number of initiatives related to CCS development, including: theUnited States-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue, the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, theInterstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and the Plains C02 Reduction Partnership.Alberta s investment in large-scale CCS projects continues to be an unparalleled investment inCCS for a jurisdiction Alberta s size. Through the sharing ofleamings from these fundedprojects, Alberta s CCS development program will help the global CCS community to bringdown the costs of CCS.ALBERTA ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINANLE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENTIntegrated Resource Management System ORMS) and Alberta s Monitoring AgencyAlberta is committed to being stewards of our natural resources n ways that safeguard theenvironment, keep our economy strong, and grow vibrant communities. That is why we haveadopted an Integrated Resource Management System a System that enables the establishmentand achievement of the environmental, economic and social outcomes Albertans expect fromresource development while maintaining the social licence required to continue to develop ourresources.The System is broadly defined, incorporating the management of all resources inclusive ofenergy, minerals, forestry, agriculture, land, air, water and biodiversity. It is founded upon theprovince s cumulative effects management approach the management of the combined effectsof past, present and foreseeable future activities on the environment, economy and society overtime and in a particular place. As such, it recognizes the finite capacity of our air sheds,watersheds, land-base, ecosystems, and takes early action to manage cumulative impacts.Core elements of the System include:

Clear social, economic and environmental outcomes that provide common goals andmanagement context for all parties operating on Alberta s landscape; A comprehensive policy assurance program that advances the public interest throughboth regulatory and non-regulatory tools designed to fit the unique circumstances of theplace;

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M ~ Government A robust performance measurement program that enables the measurement, evaluation

and reporting of social, economic and environmental conditions relative to statedoutcomes; Strong relationships with partners and stakeholders built through meaningful

engagement and inclusivity; Continuous improvement of all aspects ofth System to ensure we learn from ourexperiences, leverage the expertise and lessons of others, and innovate our way forward;and Systematic and timely adaptation in response to changing conditions and newinformation.

A number of key components of IRMS have been or are being realized as follows:Clear outcomesWithin the IRMS, the Governmentof Alberta works with Albertans and other stakeholders to setintegrated social, economic and environmental outcomes for resource development. Theseoutcomes are informed by an assessmentof cumulative impacts and are translated into integratedprovincial policies and land-use plans accordingly.Regional plans represent a key vehicle for setting and achieving outcomes. They are futurefocused, collaboratively developed, and legally enforceable. Amongst other things, they establishfirm environmental limits and related management triggers for air, land, water and biodiversity.Regional planning is well underway within Alberta, with seven regional plans targeted forcompletion. The Lower Athabasca Regional Plan came into effect on September1 2012 and isfocused on the oil sands area of northern Alberta. Amongst other things, it sets environmentalmanagement triggers and limits for air and surface water quality, and interim managementtriggers for regional groundwater quality. It establishes six new conservation areas, bringing thetotal conserved land in the Lower Athabasca Region (the region where oil sands developmentprimarily occurs) to 22 per cent, or two million hectares ~ 4 . 9 million acres), while also ensuringcontinued economic growth.Integrated policy assuranceAlberta s policy assurance framework for resource development is effective and efficient,ensuring the orderly developmentof the province s natural resources while promoting publicsafety, sustainable environmental management practices, and resource conservation objectives.Alberta has stringent requirements that include sound environmental standards andenvironmental assessment processes. Alberta has a comprehensive regulatory system forenvironmental management that is guided by a numberof key pieces of legislation including theEnvironmental Protection and Enhancement ct (EPEA), Water Act Public Lands Act and foroil sands development, the Oil Sands Conservation Act. A primary tool used to ensure largeindustrial projects in Alberta such as oil sands developments occur in a responsible manner is theEPEA approval. Approvals under EPEA lay out conditions for the construction, operation andreclamation of large activities in Alberta in accordance with guiding legislation, regulation,policy, planning and guidance. Conditions include aspects such as limits on releases to the

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A t ~ Governmentenvironment (air emissions and water effluent discharge for example), monitoring and reportingrequirements, and expectations for participation in multi-stakeholder initiatives. These conditionsare enforced through a compliance and enforcement program. Prior to any oil sands facilitybeing built, the operator must obtain approvals that ensure achievementof environmentalstandards and management objectives set out in regulations, policy and plans. Projects undergo athorough environmental assessment that ensures adequate information is provided by theproponent to make a decision on an activity. The public is given an opportunity to provide inputat various stages of the process.The Alberta government has recently enhanced its regulatory system through theResponsibleEnergy Development Act and developmentof the new Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) for coal,oil sands, and upstream oil and gas. The AER will maintain the province s strong commitment toenvironmental management and public safety, while ensuring responsible resource developmentand conservation. The AER will also greatly improve the efficiency and effectivenessof resourceregulation y eliminating duplication. Alberta s Ministryof Environment and SustainableResource Development will continue to engage with Albertans and stakeholders on policydevelopment.Science-based environmental monitoring system that provides trusted, accessible dataThe Government of Alberta, working with key partners and stakeholders, measures, evaluatesand reports on our progress in relation to defined outcomes and uses this information to informboth short and long term decision-making. Indicators and perfonnance measures are establishedfor social, economic and environmental parameters with monitoring plans that are designed andimplemented accordingly.Robust environmental monitoring, evaluation and reporting are foundational to the IRMS.Alberta is building the most comprehensive environmental monitoring program in Canada withthe establishment of a new arm s-length environmental monitoring agency. The agency willensure integrated and coordinated monitoringof land, air, water and biodiversity; developscientifically credible standards and operating procedures for environmental data collection andanalysis; and provide open and transparent access to scientific data and information on Alberta senvironmental condition and trends.The Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency is expected to beoperational in April2014, starting first with monitoring for the Lower Athabasca Region andthen assuming broader provincial programs. Legislation to enable the Agency,ProtectingAlberta s Environment Act, was passed in December 2013.While the new agency is beingestablished, environmental monitoring in the oil sands region continues to be enhanced through ajoint Government of Canada and Governmentof Alberta program announced in February2012the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring.


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A t ~ GovernmentThe Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring, currently in year twoof three, has improved our ability to detect changes and identify cumulative impacts across theregion and the outcomes to date are:

Monitoring has been enhanced to increase geographic coverage; The number ofmonitoring sites have been doubled; The frequency of sampling has been significantly increased; Sampling is occurring for more substances using more sensitive detection methods; and Data associated with this enhanced environmental monitoring is reported and madepublically accessible on the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring (JOSP) Information Portal

launched in April2013. (www.jointoilsandsmonitoring.ca)Strong relationships with partners and stakeholdersThe Government of Alberta continues to build and maintain strong relationships with keypartners and stakeholders to enable the successful implementation of the IRMS. This includesearly and meaningful engagement on the setting of outcomes, on policy development, and onland-use planning processes. Alberta has a number of long-standing multi-stakeholderorganizations it can leverage toward relationship building and engagement on environmental andresource management. These include the Cumulative Environmental Management Associationin the oil sands area, the Alberta Water Council, and the Clean Air Strategic Alliance which iscelebrating its 20th Anniversary this year.An Aboriginal Consultation Office was established on November 1 2013 to provide leadership,advice and professional expertise to regulatory authorities, proponents and First Nations. TheOffice will provide certainty that Alberta is meeting its legal duty to undertake aboriginalconsultation; ensure all participants have a clear understanding ofth consultation process andtheir role(s) within it; and support regulatory processes for land management and resourcedevelopment that is efficient, effective and fair.Regional Planning: Land Use Framework and Land Use SecretariatThe Land-Use Framework identifies seven regions for which regional plans will be developed.The regions are based on watershed and municipal boundaries in relation to existing land-uses sothe plans can focus on individual regional circumstances in order to meet the particulareconomic, environment, social outcomes in each region. The Government ofAlberta is alreadyimplementing a number of innovative strategies under the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan toimprove cumulative effects management of oil sands development. Among these is theundertaking of a regional strategic assessment in the south Athabasca oil sands area, where themajority of future oil sands development will occur using in situ methods.This assessment work is being undertaken in collaboration with the Government of Canada anduses state of the art modelling to assess potential cumulative effects to environmental, social, andeconomic values across a range of in situ oil sands energy development scenarios. Theinformation gathered will be used to support an Aboriginal and stakeholder-informed subregional planning process that will guide future development.

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A { ~ overnmentAnother product o the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan was the establishment o ambienttriggers and limits for air and surface water quality. Annual reporting on the status o air andsurface water quality will ensure that the cumulative effects o development in the LowerAthabasca Region are routinely monitored and evaluated against established triggers and limitsin environmental management frameworks. As additional frameworks on biodiversity,groundwater, surface water quantity and tailings are implemented, a full suite o monitoring,evaluating and reporting will be in place in the region.A key component o environmental management frameworks is a commitment to undertake aproactive management response i ambient conditions begin to trend in an undesirable direction.This ensures that the limits, or upper boundaries in the system, are not surpassed, and thatenvironmental quality remains within acceptable limits. In early 2014, environmental status andmanagement response reports will be released for air and surface water quality managementframeworks. This tangible action demonstrates the Government of Alberta s cumulative effectsmanagement system is working as intended.A landscape management plan and a regional parks plan for the Lower Athabasca region are alsounder development and are expected to be completed in 2014. The Lower Athabasca RegionalPlan also includes objectives and strategies for inclusion o Aboriginal peoples in land-useplanning in the region to address potential conflicts, in a manner supportive o Aboriginaltraditional uses, such as the exercise o treaty rights.Lower Athabasca Regional PlanThe following is a list o the priority deliverables for the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan:

Air and Water Framework Annual Reports Lower Athabasca Regional Plan Annual Report Finalization o the conservation areas Release o the Lower Athabasca Regional Parks Plan Release o Biodiversity Management Framework Release o Landscape Management Plan Release o Regional Strategic Assessment for the Athabasca Oil Sands Area Release o Tailings Management Framework updated Surface Water Quantity Management Framework Release o Groundwater Management Framework

ReclamationThe nvironmental Protection and nhancement ct requires the reclamation o land used forindustrial activities. The Lower Athabasca Regional Plan adopted a progressive reclamationstrategy and it includes a suite o initiatives and tools to improve financial security andenvironmental performance within the oil sands mining sector.There are three key components:

1 An updated mine financial security program;2 Enhanced reclamation reporting; and3 Clarification o the reclamation certificate program.

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A t ~ overnmentThe updated mine financial security program uses an asset-to-liability approach. t requiresapproval holders to post an Outstanding Reclamation Deposi t when the extent of reclamationcarried out does not meet targets in the current Mine Reclamation Plan. The OutstandingReclamation Deposit is intended to provide an immediate and continuous incentive to reclaimlands that are ready-to-claim throughout the life of the project.The enhanced reclamation reporting system identifies key milestones to better track activities:cleared, disturbed, ready for reclamation, soils placed, permanent reclamation, temporaryreclamation and certified. Results are updated annually by operators and are available to thepublic through State of the Environment reporting and the Oil Sands Information Portal atwww .osip.alberta.caThe clarification of the reclamation certificate program will be informed by completion of AnAdministrative Guide to the Oil Sands Mine Reclamation Certification Process and a preliminarycriteria and indicators framework for oil sands mine reclamation developed by the CumulativeEnvironmental Management Association and recommended to the Government of Alberta inJanuary 2013.DRAFT South Saskatchewan Regional Plan SSRP)The draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan was released in October 2013. ThroughoutNovember 2013, government conducted public and stakeholder consultation sessions on the draftplan. The Land Use Secretariat and other Government of Alberta ministries continue to engagewith stakeholders, municipalities and First Nations to encourage their participation in theconsultations of this draft plan. The draft plan s strategies and actions focus on the followinginitiatives:

Developing an Air Quality Management Framework Developing a Surface Water Quality Management Framework Continued flood hazard mapping Evaluating and enhancing land-use policies Supporting development of municipal flood-hazard mitigation plans Greater recognition of stewardship and conservation efforts of landowners and

leaseholders e.g. sustainable grazing practices) Managing sales and conversion of intact grassland Managing surface disturbance Enhancing conservation tools Consistent management of Green Area - public land use zones Legislatively protected conservation areas Enhanced protection for the Castle area Restoring flood-damaged areas Designating recreational lands

Finalization of the SSRP is targeted for June 2014.

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A t ~ GovernmentRegional planning for other regions includes: Initiating the North Saskatchewan Regional Plan in spring 2014 and finalizing it in 2015,and

Initiating pre-planning on the Lower and Upper Peace, Upper Athabasca, and Red DeerRegional Plans in 2014.ir and Climate Change Policy

Alberta's climate change strategy takes action on three fronts:1) Conserving and using energy efficiently- Alberta has demonstrated action through energyefficiency rebate programs, a greening government initiative, and a 2 billion investmentin public transportation.2) Implementing carbon capture and storage Alberta has invested 1.3 billion in two majorcarbon capture and storage projects for an estimated 2.76 Megatonne reduction per year.3) Greening energy production Alberta is developing an Alternative and Renewable EnergyFramework, and has also enabled microgeneration and incented biofuels through theRenewable Fuels Standard and bioenergy credit programs.

The Specified Gas Emitters RegulationThe Specified Gas Emitters Regulation is the backbone ofour climate change managementsystem by setting a price on carbon and mandating greenhouse gas emission reductions.Through this Regulation, we have seen a reduction of about 7 Megatonnes per year offofbusiness as usual, totaling a cumulative reduction of 40 Megatonnes offof business as usualsince the Regulation came into force in 2007.Alberta recognizes the importance of investing in innovation and technology to achieve shortand long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions. Through the Specified Gas EmittersRegulation, facilities can pay 15 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent to the Climate Changeand Emissions Management Fund as a way to comply with the regulation. To date, the Fund hasaccumulated CAD $398 million, and more than CAD 213 million has been invested through anarms-length Corporation to 51 clean technology projects. In addition, CAD 7 million has beeninvested in adaptation research, CAD 8 million to biological solutions projects, and CAD 35million has been committed to the Grand Challenge.The Grand ChallengeClimate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) launched the CCEMCGrand Challenge: Innovative Carbon Uses. The international challenge aims to identify new,carbon-based products and markets from captured C02 emissions. It is expected to identifymultiple technologies that could provide significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions bytransforming carbon from a waste and liability into an asset.The challenge runs over three phases:

Round one included the global launch with new submissions accepted between February21,2013 and July 31,2013. In February 2014,20 awards for $500,000 were granted.

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A t ~ overnment Round two will be accepting more comprehensive submissions from March 2015 to July2015, where original winners can further develop their ideas, and new applicants are stillbeing accepted into the challenge. The awards event will take place in March 2016where five grants will be awarded for 3 million each. Round three will be accepting only previous winners of the challenge for submission ofcomprehensive proposals in 2017 with the final grant of 10 million being awarded in anawards event in March 2018. This challenge has the potential to further not just Alberta'sclean energy goals, but also the world's .

Climate Change StrategyAlberta's 2008 Climate Change Strategy sets provincial emission reduction targets for 2020 and2050. Recognizing that we are halfway to 2020, Alberta has embarked on a renewal of theClimate Change Strategy to explore policy and program options to ensure we achieve ourcommitments. This renewal includes an update to the Specified Gas Emitters Regulation that isset to expire September 2014.There are several factors to be considered in the renewal of the Climate Change Strategy,including:

Establishing regulatory stability through affirming clear targets and objectives; Allowing for cost-effective reductions through a flexible, market-based system; Achieving emission reductions in the short and long-term through investment inresearch, innovation and technology; Achieving reductions across the economy, including large industry, agriculture,transportation and more; and Working with other jurisdictions to establish consistent measures and reporting methodsand enhanced dialogue to further the collective goal of reducing greenhouse gas

emissions.Key policy questions to be addressed in the renewal of the Regulation include the price ofcarbon, the stringency of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions required by regulated facilities,and the threshold or size of facilities that fall within the regulation. Alberta is also evaluatinglinkages to other provinces and states as part of this review and update - as regional approachesin North America are evolving.Oil Sands Information PortalAlberta recognizes the importance of being transparent and providing credible, timelyinformation to stakeholders and the public. Alberta 's Oil Sands Information Portal (found atwww.osip.alberta.ca) is a map-based website that provides information on the environmentalmanagement of oil sands, ranging from air quality, to water use, to tailings size, to greenhousegas emissions.

Air Quality ManagementAir quality in the Fort McMurray area is monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year atapproximately 16 monitoring sites. Air quality in the oil sands region is rated to be of LowHealth Risk- the best air quality level - 96 per cent of the time.

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A t ~ overnmentWetlandsIn September 2013, Alberta released a new provincial wetland policy, which focuses on wetlandvalues. Under this new policy, wetlands across the province, including those in areas o oilsands development, will be more effectively managed through planning processes which willconsider the functions and benefits they provide. In particular, development requirements willbe guided by the following policy elements:

Wetlands o the highest value are protected for the long-term benefit o all Albertans; Wetlands and their benefits are conserved and restored in areas where losses have beenhigh; Wetlands are managed by avoiding, minimizing and, i necessary, compensating forimpacts; and Wetland management considers regional context.

This new policy will help to conserve, restore, protect, and manage Alberta s wetlands to sustainthe benefits they provide to the environment, society, and the economy.Water ManagementOil sands operators recycle large volumes o water and use saline water where possible.Technology and experience are making operations more efficient all the time. Alberta has strongregulatory tools and policies in place to ensure water use in the oil sands is sustainable. Forexample, there are strict limits on water use from the Athabasca River by oil sands mines.The Athabasca River Water Management Framework sets mandatory limits on withdrawals fromthe lower Athabasca River that maintains flows at or near the naturally fluctuating flowconditions in order to maintain biodiversity. The current cumulative withdrawal rate o oil sandsprojects from the Athabasca River is less than 1 per cent o the long-term average annual flow othe Athabasca River, and less than 3 per cent o the long-term average winter flow from Januaryto March. In 2012, oil sands water usage was 0.6 per cent o the long-term average annual flow.Updates are being finalized to this current management system to further tighten the watermanagement requirements, particularly during periods o low flow, for both current and new oilsands developers.Tailings ManagementManaging tailings ponds, which are components o oil sands mining operations, is a priority forAlberta. The Alberta Energy Regulator has aggressive criteria for reducing the growth involume o fluid fine tailings and achieving trafficable deposits that enable reclamation activitiesto proceed. In 201 0 Suncor successfully reclaimed Pond 1 providing assurance that reclamationo tailings ponds is indeed feasible. Work is underway to develop a more comprehensive tailingsmanagement framework, which will consider the full life cycle o tailings, to promote and drivemore progressive reclamation, which is a key focus o the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan.

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overnmentBiodiversityThe Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute anann s length agency that uses world class, peerreviewed scientific protocols for its work) reports that the Athabasca Oil Sands Area has aspecies intactness index of 94 per cent 20 3 ).

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_ t ~ GovernmentAPPENDIX : Summary ofFunded Climate Change and Emissions ManagementCorporation CCEMC) Projects Alberta Environment and Sustainable ResourceDevelopmentRound 6: Four energy efficiency projects funded for a total of 9.6 million from CCEMC.Project: Electrical Power Generation from Multiple Waste Heat SourcesCCEMC Funding: 4,881,763Project Value: 14,868,020Estimated to Reduce: 162,197 tonnes of C02e by 2020Genalta Power is developing a waste heat to power project in central Alberta that will addressmultiple, economically-challenging waste heat opportunities with an integrated design approachthat will reduce operating costs and GHG emissions and increase power reliability at the plant,providing enough electrical power from waste sources to keep the plant running during gridinterruptions, dynamically-matching generation capacity with electrical demand to avoid costlyoutages and downtime. The MIS fTM (multiple-input single-turbine) waste energy recoverysystem will be the backbone of the installation providing emission-free power from multipleuneconomic waste energy sources. By offsetting grid generated power, this project will reduceGHG emissions by 400,000 tonnes over 20 years and employ over 50 people in engineering andconstruction as well as supporting two long term positions.Project: Reducing the Energy and Emission Intensity of Producing a Barrel of Oil SandsBitumen - ORC waste heat recovery.CCEMC Funding: 1,951,581Project Value: 5,854,695Estimated to Reduce: 24,219 tonnes of C02e by 2020The project involves the installation of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine to harness lowgrade waste heat from the glycol cooling process. The ORC turbine uses the waste heat togenerate electricity. The project will generate an estimated 5 to10% ofthe facility's powerrequirements, offsetting the requirement for grid electricity and reducing GHG emissions.

Round 7: Eight renewable energy projects funded for a total of 46.8 million from CCEMC.Project: Implementation of High Solids Anaerobic Digestion Technology at the Edmonton WasteManagement Centre.CCEMC Funding: 10,000,000Project Value: 30,695,174Estimated to Reduce: 198,570 tonnes of C02e by 2020

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A t ~ overnmentThis project will see the diversion of 40,000 tonnes per year of organic solid wastes to the newHigh Solids Anaerobic Digestion Facility located at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.This facility will generate renewable energy from biogas produced through processing of theorganic fraction of municipal solid wastes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by displacingfossil fuel sources, and avoiding landfill methane emissions through enhanced waste diversionactivities. t represents a joint approach between the City ofEdmonton and the University ofAlberta and will focus on processing residential and industrial, commercial, and institutionalorganic solid waste materials into renewable energy and value-added products. Duringconstruction this project is anticipated to create up to 50 jobs, and approximately I 0 jobs will bedirectly and indirectly generated during the operation of the High Solids Anaerobic DigestionFacility.Project: Wintering Hills Wind Power Project Battery Storage Demonstration PilotCCEMC Funding: 9,207,063Project Value: 18,414,126Estimated to Reduce: No reductions until deployment.Suncor Energy, in conjunction with Teck, is proposing to install a 3 megawatt 6.9 megawatthour battery at the existing Wintering Hills Wind Power Project to test the feasibility of shiftingpower from off-peak periods to on-peak periods and participation in ancillary energy servicemarkets. Wind power is an intermittent form of renewable energy and battery storage has theability to make the power supply available as needed instead of as generated. A battery couldalso provide quick power ramp-up and ramp-down service, as well as help balance the electricalgrid. In all of this, the project has the potential to reduce GHG emissions by permitting zeroemitting renewable energy generation to reliably interconnect to, and operate within, the grid andby displacing fossil fuel generation facilities as an electrical grid balancing source.

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Alison Redford écrit à John Kerry (en anglais)