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Applications 1950694, 064-00000026, 015-00251073 and 001-00502161

Notice of Application: Aurora North Mine Areas 3 & 4 Development

Notice of Application

OSCA Application No. 1950694

EPEA Application No. 064-00000026

Water Act Approval Application No. 015-00251073

Water Act Licence Application No. 001-00502161

Syncrude Canada Ltd. 

Aurora North Mine Areas 3 & 4 Development

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has received Oil Sands Conservation Act (OSCA) application 1950694, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) application 064-00000026, Water Act (WA) Approval application 015-00251073, and Water Act Licence application 001-00502161 from Syncrude Canada Ltd. (Syncrude) for the development of Area 3 and Area 4 at the Aurora North Mine site. The AER is reviewing the applications together.

This notice also sets out the deadline for filing statements of concern under the section How to File a Statement of Concern.

Description of the Applications

Syncrude has applied under the OSCA, EPEA and WA to: 

  • Extend the EPEA approved project boundary;
  • Add an additional water release point;
  • Construct an overburden disposal dump (waste rock dump) as well as a reclamation material stockpile (RMS);
  • Include conceptual water management infrastructure; and
  • Request a new Water Act licence to divert up to 2,020,000 cubic metres of surface runoff water per year contributing to the Muskeg River and Athabasca River watersheds.

The Aurora North Mine site is located in Townships 95 and 96; Ranges 9, 10 and 11; West of the 4th Meridian. 

For a copy of the application, contact

Suncor Energy (Syncrude) Operating Inc.

P.O. Bag 4009

Fort McMurray, Alberta, T9H 3L1

Attention: Jennifer Holm

Telephone: 403-296-8626

Email: jenholm@suncor.com

To receive a copy of the applications, submit an information request, as outlined at www1.aer.ca/ProductCatalogue/ordering.html, to

AER Information Distribution Services 

Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW

Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4

Telephone: 1-855-297-8311 

(toll free; option 0)

Email: InformationRequest@aer.ca

Refer to this notice when requesting information for a faster response.

Requirement to File a Statement of Concern 

If you have concerns with this application, you must file a statement of concern as described below. If you do not file a statement of concern, the AER may approve the application without further notification.

How to File a Statement of Concern

For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must be filed by 11:59 p.m. on May 30, 2024. Send one copy of your statement of concern to Syncrude at the name and address above and one copy either online via the AER’s web-based form or by mail or email:

Online:  https://www.aer.ca/protecting-what-matters/giving-albertans-a-voice/statement-of-concern/statement-of-concern-form 

Mail or email:

Regulatory Applications 

Alberta Energy Regulator 

Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW 

Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4 

Fax: 403-297-7336

Email: SOC@aer.ca

April 19, 2024    Final date to file a statement of concern. 

Contents of a Statement of Concern

For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must include

  1. why you believe you may be directly and adversely affected by a decision of the AER on the applications;
  2. the nature of your objection to the applications;
  3. the outcome of the applications that you advocate;
  4. the location of your land, residence, or activity in relation to the location of the energy resource that is the subject of the applications; and
  5. your contact information, including your name, address in Alberta, telephone number, and email address or, if you do not have an email address, your fax number.

The AER also requests that you include the application number in your statement of concern.

Confidentiality

Section 49 of the Alberta Energy Regulator Rules of Practice (Rules of Practice) requires that all documents and information filed in a proceeding be placed on the public record. If you file a submission, you must not include any personal information that you do not want to appear on or are not authorized to put on the public record. Section 49(2) of the Rules of Practice states how to apply to the AER for an order to keep information confidential. The Rules of Practice is available on the AER website at www.aer.ca.

Jurisdiction

Submissions relating exclusively to compensation for land use are not dealt with by the AER and should be referred to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (formerly the Surface Rights Board).

Under section 21 of the Responsible Energy Development Act, the AER does not have the jurisdiction to assess the adequacy of Crown consultation associated with the rights of aboriginal peoples as recognized and affirmed under the Constitution Act, 1982.

For information on AER procedures, contact the regulatory applications specialist, Corey MacGarva, by phone at 780-642-9342 or by email to Corey.MacGarva@aer.ca.

Issued at Calgary, Alberta, on April 30, 2024.

ALBERTA ENERGY REGULATOR