From The Calgary Herald – Feb 2, 2011

by Kelly Cryderman

CALGARY – Just days after the makeup of a provincial panel
meant to revamp oilsands monitoring was announced, an American member
has quit saying there’s not enough scientists in the group and the
Alberta government wants to muzzle free discussion.

“I’m
concerned that First Nations may think this is yet another snow job by a
bunch of experts who speak a lot of technical speak,” said Helen
Ingram, a University of California-Irvine professor emeritus who
specializes in public policy on water resources.

However,
Alberta Environment argues there are eight scientists on the panel with
PhDs, and rules governing disclosure of information by panel members
have yet to be finalized.

Ingram and 11 others were named
by Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner last Thursday as members of a
panel to provide recommendations for creating a “world-class
environmental monitoring system” for the oilsands.

The
group, which meets for the first time next week, is co-chaired by Hal
Kvisle, who retired as president and chief executive of Trans­Canada
Corp. last year, but is still an adviser to the pipeline company.
TransCanada moves thousands of barrels per day of oilsands products to
market and is seeking environmental approval for the $7-billion Keystone
XL project to transport more bitumen to U.S. refiners.

The
other co-chair is Howard Tennant, the former president and
vice-chancellor of the University of Lethbridge. Other members include
public health experts, biological science and geology professors,
environmental consultants, a vice-president from the Canadian
Association of Petroleum Producers and a former adviser to Prime
Minister Stephen Harper.

Even though she’s “really . . . concerned that the tarsands get appropriate monitoring,” Ingram gave her notice on Tuesday.

Her
three main concerns were that the panel schedule set doesn’t allow for
her to attend key meetings, there are too few physical scientists – such
as hydrologists – on the panel, and early instructions suggested she
and other members would not be able to discuss oilsands issues with
scientific colleagues or others without first getting the permission of
the minister.

Ingram said she’s used to some level of confidentiality while sitting on panels, but this seemed a step too far.