Syncrude to pay $2.75 million in fines for deaths of 31 blue herons

January 2, 2019 | Vincent McDermott | EDMONTON SUN

Syncrude will pay $2.75 million in fines after 31 blue herons died at the company’s Mildred Lake site north of Fort McMurray in 2015.

Syncrude’s investigation found that bodies of water, such as the inactive sump where the birds were found, were not covered by the deterrents used for tailings areas.

“We immediately took steps to bring all these areas on our Mildred Lake and Aurora sites into our waterfowl protection plan,” said Doreen Cole, managing director for Syncrude. “We also shared our findings with other operators.”

That is the same act Syncrude was found guilty of breaching in 2010, when 1,606 ducks died after landing in a tailings pond at the company’s Aurora site in 2008. The company paid a $3-million fine.

“This incident demonstrates our deterrents needed to be more extensive,” said Gibson

via Syncrude to pay $2.75 million in fines for deaths of 31 blue herons | Edmonton Sun