News Release April 25, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EUB plans for public safety and sour gas

CALGARY (April 25, 2001) - Today the EUB begins the rollout of its proposed Public Safety and Sour Gas Implementation Plans for the upcoming year. This release follows a commitment by Chairman Neil McCrank to make public the EUB's plans for addressing 87 recommendations presented to the Board in January 2001, by the provincial Public Safety and Sour Gas Advisory Committee.

Over the past three months the EUB's own Public Safety Implementation Team, together with staff in almost every branch of the organization, has been working on these first year plans. The team is also setting the agenda for collaborating with a number of other provincial ministries and stakeholder groups that play a role in the safe development of Alberta's sour gas resources.

In the first year of an aggressive, multi-year schedule, the EUB proposes to immediately commence work on close to 50 of the recommendations; it plans to have initiated actions on all 87 recommendations over the next three years. Revisions and refinements to the plan are expected as work teams begin to action the recommendations.

Plans and actions touch upon many aspects of sour gas development that are important to Albertans, including:

• Information, Communication and Consultation
• Sour Gas Development Planning and Approval
• Health Effects and Sour Gas Research
• Emergency Preparedness
• Sour Gas Operations

A brochure highlighting the proposed plans, Public Safety and Sour Gas Implementation 2001, provides stakeholders with an overview of the many public safety initiatives underway this year. A more detailed document, Public Safety and Sour Gas Implementation Plans: First Progress Report, identifies actions and timelines for each of the 50 recommendations being undertaken this year. We invite stakeholders to provide feedback on our proposed implementation plans and schedule.

Over the next four weeks the EUB will also be visiting communities across the province and holding open houses to present its implementation plans, provide information, answer questions and get input.

The Committee's report and recommendations will continue to guide the EUB's actions over the coming years; and the EUB will be keeping the public updated on its progress.

Copies of the brochure, detailed implementation plans and the provincial Advisory Committee's report of recommendations, as well as schedules for the open houses, are available by calling the EUB at (403) 297-8144, and are also accessible on the EUB's Web site at www.ercb.ca.

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For further information please contact:

NR 2001-08

Links to Related Documents:

Brochure: Public Safety and Sour Gas Implementation 2001

Report: Public Safety and Sour Gas Implementation Plans: First Progress Report

Community Rollout Schedule

Provincial Advisory Committee on Public Safety and Sour Gas Final Report (December 2000)
-- Final Report (PDF format)
-- Final Report (MS Word format)
-- Appendices (PDF format)
-- Appendices (MS Word format)