Fort McKay, AB, April 23, 2013 – Today, at the opening of the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) hearings on the Dover OPCO project, the community of Fort McKay listened intently as it prepared its own formal objection to the proposed project located on the border of Fort McKay’s Moose Lake reserve in northeast Alberta and on its traditional territory. Fort McKay will be taking the stand against the project later this week because Dover has not agreed to adjust its project plan to accommodate a critical 20 kilometer buffer that would protect traditional territory surrounding Namur and Gardiner lakes, locally known as Moose Lake.
The Dover project proposes a five-phase 250,000-barrel-per-day facility. The project would use steam assisted gravity drainage technology (SAGD) and will impact the last and best remaining traditional service land on the west side of the Athabasca River that can be used for cultural land use and the exercise of treaty and Aboriginal rights.
"We welcome the opportunity to put forward our objection to Dover’s proposed project," said Raymond Powder, Councilor for Fort McKay First Nation. "This project represents a very serious issue for our community and the first time since 1993 that Fort McKay has filed a formal objection against an oil sands development project."
Fort McKay is not in opposition to resource development in principle. Fort McKay has put forward proposals to Dover OPCO and the Government of Alberta for reasonable protection measures that would allow this project to continue while lessening the impact to the environment and community.
"We want to make it clear we as a First Nation are not against oil and gas exploration and extraction in the area," confirms Jim Boucher, Chief of Fort McKay First Nation, "but the area in question will impact the last and best remaining traditional land that can be used for our cultural activities like hunting and trapping, and the exercise of our treaty and Aboriginal rights."
The community of Fort McKay is located alongside the banks of the Athabasca River in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, north of Fort McMurray. There are approximately 650 Dene, Cree and Métis community members living in Fort McKay. The Fort McKay First Nation shares a border with the Fort McKay Métis Community, and together call Fort McKay home.
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For media enquiries contact:
Dayle Hyde, Communications Director
Fort McKay First Nation
780.828.2463
780.881.2463 (cell)
dhyde@fortmckay.com