Category Archives: Natural Resources

Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act and the Enforcement of Private Surface Agreements

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Proposal commented on: Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act

Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act (REDA) if enacted will afford the Regulator an entirely new jurisdiction over the enforcement of “private surface agreements.”  This comment discusses the following questions: (1) What is the status quo and what are the problems with the status quo?  (2) What will the Bill do?  (3) If change was necessary, why was this jurisdiction accorded to the Regulator and not the Surface Rights Board?  Focusing on question # 3 my general argument will be that it would be a better “fit” to accord this additional jurisdiction to the Surface Rights Board which already has considerable expertise in these matters.

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Bill 2 and its implications for the jurisdiction of the Environmental Appeal Board

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Proposal commented on: Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act

This post examines the implications of Bill 2 for the jurisdiction of the Environmental Appeal Board (EAB).  The legislation will establish the new Alberta Energy Regulator (the Regulator) and will abolish appeals to the EAB with respect to decisions in relation to energy resource activities.  Instead, the Bill proposes a scheme of reviews by the Regulator of its own decisions.

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Bill 2 Responsible Energy Development Act: Setting the stage for the next 50 years of effective and efficient energy resource regulation and development in Alberta

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Bill commented on: Bill 2, Responsible Energy Development Act, The Legislative Assembly of Alberta, First Session, 28th Legislature

In the afternoon of Wednesday October 24, 2012 the Alberta government introduced Bill 2 – the proposed Responsible Energy Development Act (Alberta) – and the bill passed first reading.  In the words of the Minister of Finance, speaking in place of the Minister of Energy:

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Announcement: Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act

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ABlawg is pleased to announce a series of posts on Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act. This important Bill proposes to create a “single window” for reviewing and approving energy projects in Alberta.

The first in the series is a post by Shaun Fluker on the independence of the Alberta Energy Regulator.  This post will be followed by followed by posts dealing with a number of topics that we expect will include:  the implications of the Bill for the jurisdiction of the Environmental Appeal Board; an overview of the Bill; the standing rules under the Bill; the proposed arrangements for the enforcement of private surface arrangements; the Regulator as a corporation; the Regulator and the duty to consult; the power of the Minister to issue directions to the Regulator; a comparative take on the single window experience looking at developments in Australia; and water management under the Bill.

ABlawg has already posted two blogs on the background to this Bill, one by Nigel Bankes, “A single window for the permitting of energy projects in Alberta: who will look out for the chickens?”and the other by Nickie Vlavianos, “The Proposed Single Energy Regulator: Where Are We Now and Where Do We Go from Here?

Cleaning Up Coal II

By: Astrid Kalkbrenner

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Regulations Commented On: Federal Regulations “Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations” as of 30 August 2012, (Canada Gazette Part II, Vol. 146, No 19, SOR/2012-167)

On 27 August 2011 the federal government published proposed regulations on the “Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-Fired Generation of Electricity” (the “Draft Regulations”) (see my previous ABlawg post Cleaning up Coal).  The Draft Regulations were open for comments for a 60-day public consultation period. Environment Canada received over 5000 submissions during the consultation period, including submissions from 4 provincial governments, 16 electricity industry corporations and system operators, 17 other industry corporations and associations, 6 Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and from the general public. The Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement (RIAS) for the Regulations acknowledges that the comments and extensive discussions with industry and provinces led to refinements of the Draft Regulations which in its final version provides greater flexibility to industry, while respecting the draft regulatory framework and maintaining the contribution of the Regulations to meeting Canada’s Copenhagen target (for the RIAS see Canada Gazette Part II, Vol. 146, No 19, SOR/2012-167, 2002 at 2003). On 30 August 2012, the final Regulations were published as a regulation of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), SC 1999, c 33.

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