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My husband, myself and my three girls are bison ranchers west of Rimbey AB. We purchased our first bison in 1995 and our first land in this area in 1997. We have accumulated 450 bison cow herd with our girls and have ran and operated a successful bison feedlot for all these years. 

Our attention was first drawn to this issue with a situation a few miles down the road.  And then… we were blindsided.  An oilfield company got an AER rubber stamped approval for a massive industrial operation across the road on land that they purchased. Land that we border with 6 quarter sections on 3 sides with a bison game farm. With zero notification from anyone our lives changed overnight.   This petition is not about our personal story (that is a whole other issue) with how our ranch has been affected but it is about the story on our water and how we discovered the seemingly over use of fresh water for oil industry.

Living in an area where 9 out of 10 years have been drought like conditions in particular the last 4 , the concern over water usage is intensely personal and immediate for many. The extensive use of freshwater reservoirs and fresh water fracking in the oil industry with seemingly easy and abused practices (although most meet outdated policy) presents a significant threat to our community and to Alberta’s most precious resource: water.

It is a pressing issue that transcends personal and extends to a community and province wide dilemma. 

Fresh water should be preserved for essential human needs, not squandered through processes such as reservoir storage and fracking within the oil industry. While the oil industry is a vital part of Alberta's economy, its operations should not compromise our access to safe and clean water. Our unique situation is not isolated and underscores the potential risks and  harm (potentially irreversible) that can come from prioritizing short-term industrial gains over long-term environmental sustainability.

Drill Baby Drill Policy advocates for the aggressive excavation and production of oil but fail to account for the environmental impact, particularly when it comes to water preservation. Unfortunately, these practices do not currently factor in the frequency and severity of droughts and other water-related issues plaguing regions like ours in Alberta. Antiquated policy makes it easy for oilfield industry to choose ‘cheap’.  The Alberta Water Act simply did not factor in ongoing drought conditions and such a huge amount of use in industry. 

Concrete solutions must be implemented to curb the expanse of these practices. The Alberta Energy Regulator, Alberta Environment, and the Provincial Government need to reassess the allocation of freshwater resources, prioritizing environmental health and public necessity over industrial convenience. Enforcing stricter regulations on water usage within the oil industry could significantly reduce environmental degradation and preserve freshwater resources for present and future generations.

We call on decision-makers to consider the looming threat posed by unrestricted oil industry practices on our precious water supplies. Stand with us in urging our leaders to shift towards more environmentally sustainable alternatives. Please join us in protecting Alberta's water by signing this petition. Let your voices be heard against the consumption of our freshwater reserves.  There are other ways to frack…

Again…this petition is free to sign and share