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Published on Thursday, 13 December 2018 04:02

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Picture me scrollin' r1 Alberta conducted a study on its own reclaimed oil and gas wells and found that, well, many of them aren't really reclaimed at all. ... View archive version It seemed bad enough on first glance: thousands of wells across Alberta left by companies too neglectful or too broke to properly clean them up.

But, really, it got much worse on second glance. It turns out that many of the wells granted reclamation certificates in Alberta aren't much reclaimed at all.

"There's so much more...it could warrant its own story," our Alberta reporter, Sharon J. Riley, wrote to us after she first discovered a government scientist's presentation that found the province's extensive and expensive well reclamation program was a bust.

Sharon dug deeper and came up with a significant source for her in-depth feature: a former inspector who dished on just how badly the system has failed.

(Spoiler: they're replacing human inspectors with a website.)

The movement towards automated audits and increasing pressure to issue approvals began to wear on Mike Smith.

"I submitted my request to retire," Smith told The Narwhal. "I could see what was happening…I couldn’t put myself in that position, where I would be beholden to industry."

"We have some of the best legislation," he said. "But we don't have the enforcement."

Sharon hit the road to Wainwright for this feature, accompanied by the talented Amber Bracken, so you know the piece is full of stunning photos. Don't miss it.

As always, read on for more great stories.

Carol Linnitt
Managing editor, The Narwhal

(yes, we sometimes, in dire circumstances, allow Emma to go on holidays)

'We have left it too late’: scientists say some B.C. endangered species can’t be saved

By Sarah Cox
Triage made a big difference saving lives on the battlefields of WWI. Now some scientists are wondering if the concept should be applied in British Columbia where the number of endangered species is on a dramatic rise. Read more.

Parks Canada shirks UN request for review of Site C dam impacts on imperilled national park

By Judith Lavoie

It appears the federal government just gave the people responsible for saving UNESCO World Heritage Sites the middle finger. Because Site C. Read more.

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The article above is a follow up on our in-depth, award-nominated reporting on Wood Buffalo National Park. This past summer, the Narwhal sent Judith Lavoie alongside photographer Louis Bockner to document the beautiful and remote park and the people who depend on its protection. See her features below.

Teck warned of federal charges under the Fisheries Act, financial documents reveal

By Judith Lavoie

It's a wonder, the things one can discover when perusing the pages of stuffy financial reports. Turns out, sandwiched between updates on profits, Teck Resources admitted to investors that the company has been put on notice for persistent selenium pollution in B.C.'s Elk Valley. Read more. Watch our new short documentary
Coal Valley: B.C.'s quiet water contamination crisis Nobody owns us because readers like you keep us ad-free, independent, non-profit and 100% rad.

@antarctica21 Expedition Leader Mike Hann has found a way to support The Narwhal from multiple continents. We love.

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