Newsletter: Spring 2016
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Gibbons Air Monitoring Station Operational
Fort Air Partnership’s continuous air monitoring station in Gibbons became fully operational in February. The station is located just south of the Town of Gibbon’s administration building at 50 Avenue and 48 Street.
The Gibbons station is monitoring and collecting data on seven substances including sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter, as well as weather information. This data enables a local Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) rating to be calculated for the area.
The addition of this station is part of Fort Air Partnership’s transition to a regional air monitoring network that better monitors the impact of all sources on outdoor air quality, particularly where people live. As part of this plan, the organization plans to add a portable continuous air monitoring station to the network later this year.
North West Redwater Partnership provided funds for the purchase of the station and the first year of operation. The station’s on-going operation will be funded by the Northeast Capital Industrial Association, of which North West Redwater Partnership is a member. Alberta’s Environmental Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation Agency provided a particulate matter analyzer to enable the calculation of the AQHI.
As a public service, AQHI readings for Gibbons and other stations in Lamont County, Fort Saskatchewan, Bruderheim and Elk Island National Park are posted on Fort Air Partnership’s website. The public can also access a near real time live date feed on the website for any substance tracked by Fort Air Partnership’s nine continuous air monitoring stations, including Gibbons.[/cs_text][/cs_column][cs_column bg_color=”#4a6b4c” fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 20px;color: #fff;”][cs_text]
Gibbons Air Monitoring Station Grand Opening
Thursday, June 16
Behind Gibbons Town Hall (4807 50 Ave in Gibbons)
2:00 pm. Program and ribbon cutting starts at 3:00 pm.
Join Fort Air Partnership as it celebrates the official opening of its ninth and newest continuous air monitoring station in Gibbons. The program includes tours of the new station.
Please RSVP for catering purposes:
info@fortairmail.org
or 1-800-718-0471.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”false” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column bg_color=”#d3a245″ fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 20px;color: #fff;”][cs_text]
Community Reports
Watch for Reports to the Community to be released soon from Fort Air Partnership and Northeast Capital Industry Association. The reports provide 2015 highlights, statistics and features of interest to local residents and other stakeholders.
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Heartland Community Information Evening
Monday, May 2
Lamont Hall, 4844 49 Street in Lamont
Doors open at 5 pm, presentations begin at 6 pm. Free food and refreshments.
Come hear about current industrial projects, activities and plans within Alberta’s Industrial Heartland from industry, municipalities and industry-related organizations.
RSVP for refreshment and seating purposes: info@lifeintheheartland.com or 780.231.9802.[/cs_text][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 20px;border-style: solid;border-width: 2px;border-color: rgb(74, 107, 76);”][cs_text]
Fort Saskatchewan Trade Fair
April 22-24
Dow Centennial Centre
Drop by booth #177 in the Agrium Soccer Field to learn about the information and resources we provide for residents in and around Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. Representatives from our partner organizations will be on hand to answer your questions about transportation, future industrial development, environment, safety and much more.
For more information and trade show hours, visit www.fortsaskchamber.com.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”false” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_gap size=”50px”][x_image type=”none” src=”
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Turnaround and Construction Ongoing in Heartland
Spring means the start of camping, soccer, and gardening. To the facilities in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, spring means the start of turnaround season and the continuation of construction projects.
Warmer weather in the spring and summer makes it easier to perform the regular maintenance that’s required on an industrial facility. This involves equipment inspections and, if necessary, repairs, replacements, and technology upgrades. Spring also allows for certain construction activities to progress more quickly and with less difficulty than in frigid winter temperatures.
Why turnaround?
Regular maintenance ensures the facilities are safe and efficient. Because certain maintenance tasks can’t be done unless production is decreased or stopped altogether, companies must schedule turnarounds on a regular basis. Depending on the facility, a turnaround can last as short as a few days, or up to a month or longer.
Impact of industrial activity
Construction and turnarounds generate additional local spending on goods and services. They also create employment, as extra manpower is required to complete these projects.
This added manpower may result in a noticeable increase in traffic on local highways. In some cases, such as the Sturgeon Refinery project, a busing program helps alleviate some of the traffic challenges.
Curious about what you see, hear or smell?
Many companies use the UPDATEline to keep the community informed about turnaround and construction activities. Call the UPDATEline at 1.866.653.9959 to access pre-recorded messages about industry activity 24 hours a day.
Notable turnarounds and construction
Construction activities at North West Redwater Partnership’s Sturgeon Refinery site will be ongoing throughout 2016. Companies with planned turnarounds this year include:
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| Summer Jun/Jul/mid-Aug |
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| Fall Late-Aug/Sep/Oct |
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Sturgeon Refinery Status Update
The Sturgeon Refinery is an $8.5 billion bitumen refinery under construction in Sturgeon County. It’s the first refinery to be built in Canada in more than 30 years. Once complete, the refinery will convert raw bitumen directly into low carbon, ultra-low sulphur diesel and diluents that are in critically short supply and high demand in Canada.
Current Workforce & Employment
The on-site workforce has reached above 4,000 people. North West Redwater Partnership’s (NWR) bussing program continues to expand to accommodate increasing ridership. Eighty nine routes are currently in place safely transporting over 3,000 workers per day from throughout the Capital region to and from the site. This successful program continues to expand to accommodate growth in ridership.
Hiring of process operators, maintenance techs, and other staff necessary to prepare for refinery operations continues. Positions are posted at www.nwrsturgeonrefinery.com.
Recycling Initiative
Environmental gold standard performance continues at site, with more than 98% of construction waste being recycled. Recycled materials include concrete, wood, metal, cardboard/paper, plastic, organics and other waste materials.
More than $100,000 of funds received from recycle activities was directed to schools and seniors causes within the refinery region in 2015 guided by the NWR Community and Charitable Donations Policy, which is posted at nwrsturgeonrefinery.com.
Construction Progress
Pipelines to ship finished products to nearby terminal facilities, as well as natural gas liquid by-products of the refinery for further processing are nearing completion. However, they will not be in service until nearer to when the refinery commences processing.
Approximately 450 modules have been installed with more than 600 additional modules standing in various stages of assembly at module fabrication shops. Module delivery and assembly into the refinery will continue throughout 2016. Wall and roof assembly and sheeting is well advanced for several large process buildings throughout the site. Dozens of process vessels, heaters, boilers, and process electrical buildings have been set on foundations, and the site skyline changes regularly with additional installations. ‘Dressing’ of large process vessels with ladders, platforms and insulation is progressing in the laydown areas of NWR lands to ensure best labour efficiencies when such vessels are moved to and placed upon foundations at the work-face.
Pipe rack installation continues to advance into all process unit areas of the refinery with crews working on inter-connecting welds for the modules end-to-end connection. Development of the additional area for delivery truck and equipment staging has been completed and the area is in use. Electrical cable installation continues throughout the pipe rack cable tray starting at the electrical substation. Module and equipment construction, receipt and placement at site will continue through the balance of 2016 and 2017.
Launch of New Website
A new site, nwrsturgeonrefinery.com, was launched several months ago. It now contains all the corporate information about NWR in addition to information specific to working at the Sturgeon Refinery project. The change was made to improve information availability and to take advantage of the more contemporary features of a mobile-friendly site.[/cs_text][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”false” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]
Emergency Preparedness Week May 1 – 7: Tips on Using Technology in Emergencies
We rely on technology more and more to keep in touch with our family, friends, and colleagues with a click of a button. But what happens in the event of a major emergency? Suddenly these tools can become vital in helping you and your family be in touch and stay informed. Here are some “tech” tips during an emergency:
- If possible, use non-voice channels like text messaging, email or social media. These use less bandwidth than voice communications and may work even when phone service doesn’t.
- If you must use a phone, keep your conversation brief and convey only vital information to emergency personnel and/or family. It will conserve your phone’s battery.
- Unable to complete a call? Wait 10 seconds before redialing to help reduce network congestion. Note, cordless phones rely on electricity and will not work during a power outage. If you have a landline, keep at least one corded phone in your home.
- Keep extra batteries or a charger for your mobile device in your emergency kit. Consider getting a solar-powered, crank, or vehicle phone charger. If you don’t have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card in your emergency kit.
- Keep your contacts up to date on your phone, email and other channels. Ensure you’re able to reach important contacts, such as friends, family, neighbours, child’s school, or insurance agent.
- If you have a smartphone, save your safe meeting location(s) on its mapping application.
- Conserve your smartphone’s battery by reducing the screen’s brightness, placing your phone in airplane mode, and closing apps you are not using. You never know how long a power outage will last!
- Lamont Hall Fire Truck Display: 4 pm Monday, May 2nd
- Fort Saskatchewan Co-Op: 4 pm Tuesday, May 3rd
Remember, in an emergency or to save a life, call 9-1-1 for help. You cannot currently text 9-1-1. Check your local municipality for non-emergency call lines. Be sure to sign up for local municipal alert systems to receive information. Recorded information can also be found on the UPDATEline 1-866-653-9959.
Learn more at www.nrcaer.com.[/cs_text][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]