News Release

Canadian Horizontal Drilling Ltd. Fined for Violation of Court Order 

EDMONTON - May 9, 2007 -Canadian Horizontal Drilling Ltd. (CHD) of Wetaskiwin, Alberta, was fined $7,500 in Alberta ProvincialCourt on May 4, 2007, for contravening a Sentencing Order issued under the federal Fisheries Act. 

In March 2004, CHD received a Sentencing Order following a conviction for violating subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act for a December 2000 release of bentonite drilling mud into Gunderson Creek near Grande Prairie, Alberta. 

One of the requirements of the Order was that CHD publish an article about the offence, on or before the end of September 2004, in a publication widely available to the Alberta horizontal drilling industry.  The Court noted that although CHD finally published the article in October 2006 in Oilweek magazine, it did not meet the September 2004 deadline imposed by the Order.

Environment Canada's enforcement staff investigates potential pollution offences under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) and the Fisheries Act.  They help ensure that companies, government employees, and the public comply with legislation and regulations that protect Canada's environment.

For more information, please contact:

Ryan Levitt
Enforcement Officer
Environmental Protection Branch
Environment Canada
(780) 951-8631