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Development and validation of analytical methods for elemental sulphur in Alberta soils

Description

Deposition of air-borne sulphur dust from industrial facilities that handle or process solid elemental sulphur has the potential to cause soil acidification at or near those sites in Alberta. Lack... More ≫

Description

Deposition of air-borne sulphur dust from industrial facilities that handle or process solid elemental sulphur has the potential to cause soil acidification at or near those sites in Alberta. Lack of suitable analytical methods for elemental sulphyr has become a challenge for soil monitoring for industry operators and regulators. An acetone extraction-sodium cyanide colorimetric analysis method has been used in Alberta but environmental consultants and laboratories complained about the high detection limit and questioned its reliability. A chloroform extraction-HPLC analysis method developed in New Zealand was reported to work well with a wide range of agricultural mineral soils and some sediments. It was not clear if it would be suitable in Alberta because the impact of elemental sulphur on soils is frequently monitored in forested sites where organic materials from forest litter may interfere. There was also a need to assess if the above-noted methods were compatible with the...

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Technical report for the 2012 Lower Athabasca Region air quality management framework (AQMF) management response

Description

The Government of Alberta is reporting to Albertans on the results of a technical investigation of air trigger exceedances for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) at air monitoring... More ≫

Description

The Government of Alberta is reporting to Albertans on the results of a technical investigation of air trigger exceedances for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) at air monitoring stations in the Lower Athabasca Region (LAR) for the year 2012. The investigation was initiated under the Lower Athabasca Region Air Quality Management Framework for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) (LAR AQMF) and helps fulfill a commitment made in the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan to initiate a management response when annual assessments indicate triggers or limits have been exceeded. The monitoring results are found in the 2012 Status of Ambient Environmental Conditions report. The air quality investigation followed the first two steps (verification and preliminary assessment) in the management response and recommendations from the investigation will inform the selection of mitigative management actions. This report presents the findings of the investigation, as described...

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Capital Region fine particulate matter response

Description

The Capital Region Fine Particulate Matter Response (the ‘Response’) was prepared when Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development annual ambient air quality assessments found that... More ≫

Description

The Capital Region Fine Particulate Matter Response (the ‘Response’) was prepared when Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development annual ambient air quality assessments found that fine particulate matter concentrations in the Capital Region exceeded the Canada-wide Standard. The provincial annual assessments for fine particulate matter in 2008–2010 and 2009–2011 identified that Edmonton Central and Edmonton East air monitoring stations were in Level 4 (the Mandatory Plan to Reduce Action Level) of the Framework. In addition, Edmonton South and Lamont monitoring stations were in Level 3 (the Management Plan Action Level). According to both the Framework and the Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA) Particulate Matter and Ozone Management Framework, Alberta’s commitment to achieving the Canada-wide Standard required that a mandatory response plan is developed by Fall 2014. The goal of the Response is to reduce ambient fine particulate matter concentration and remain below...

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Environmentally significant areas in Alberta : 2014 update : final report

Description

Environmentally Significant Areas in Alberta: 2014 Update is an update of the 2009 Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) of Alberta, and the 2010 Aquatic Environmentally Significant Areas of... More ≫

Description

Environmentally Significant Areas in Alberta: 2014 Update is an update of the 2009 Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) of Alberta, and the 2010 Aquatic Environmentally Significant Areas of Alberta. The report and associated mapping products are available for use by provincial and municipal land-use planners, industry, consultants, environmental organizations, academic institutions, and others, as an information tool to support municipal, regional, and provincial scale planning initiatives.

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Environmental Assessment - Southern Pacific Resource Corp. (STP) STP McKay Thermal Project - Phase 2 - Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and application for approval

Description

Environmental Impact Assessment and associated applications pertaining to the proposed Southern Pacific Resource Corp. (STP) STP McKay Thermal Project - Phase 2. The project is on indefinite hold.... More ≫

Description

Environmental Impact Assessment and associated applications pertaining to the proposed Southern Pacific Resource Corp. (STP) STP McKay Thermal Project - Phase 2. The project is on indefinite hold. For more information on the environmental assessment process visit ea.alberta.ca.

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Aquatic and riparian condition assessment of the South Saskatchewan River Basin

Description

Examines three factors affecting aquatic condition in the South Saskatchewan River Basin: riparian health, water quality, and hydrology. The purpose of the assessment is to provide a strategic... More ≫

Description

Examines three factors affecting aquatic condition in the South Saskatchewan River Basin: riparian health, water quality, and hydrology. The purpose of the assessment is to provide a strategic evaluation of the state of all main-stem river reaches in the basin, using a combination of existing and new information.

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Preliminary classification of silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana) community types

Description

The Nature Conservancy has developed a standardised hierarchical system to facilitate the identification and classification of vegetated terrestrial communities (Schneider et al. 1997; NatureServe... More ≫

Description

The Nature Conservancy has developed a standardised hierarchical system to facilitate the identification and classification of vegetated terrestrial communities (Schneider et al. 1997; NatureServe 2000). The upper hierarchical levels (class and subclass) are based on vegetation structure, height and leaf form; the middle levels (group and formation) are based on climate, hydrology and leaf form; the lowest levels (alliance and association) are based on floristic composition of the uppermost strata (alliance) and total floristic composition (association). An important aspect to the classification is that the community elements are related to a set of environmental factors rather than to a particular site, allowing the classification to have ecological meaning over a broad geographical range. The lowest level of the hierarchy (the plant association) has a definite floristic composition and uniform physiography, and represents uniform habitat conditions. Habitat refers to the...

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