Consultation Process

Coalbed Methane/Natural Gas in Coal Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Committee (the MAC)

An advisory committee (the MAC) was established in November 2003 to provide advice and guidance on the consultation and was established after stakeholders suggested it was a valuable addition to the process.

Members represented environmental organizations, landowners, agriculture, local government, the energy industry and provincial government departments. Stakeholder organizations nominated members to represent their interests.

A cross-section of stakeholders participated in provincial working groups to study issues related to CBM development.  Also, a number of public information sessions were held in 2004 to give Albertans information on development and collect their suggestions on issues.  Highlights of the consultation process were periodically posted on the web, as major milestones were reached.

The MAC released its draft recommendations in its Preliminary Findings  document released for public comment in July 2005.

The consultation concluded with the public release of the MAC's Final Report  in May 2006.

MAC Links :
Steps Leading to the Consultation

Alberta Energy initiated the review in late 2002 to make sure the regulations governing CBM development continue to balance economic benefits for Albertans with protecting land, air, and water resources.  In late 2002, an internal review of government rules and regulations related to CBM development began. This review also included the collection of CBM production and geological data.

In September 2003, a pre-consultation was held with a number of stakeholder groups to identify and prioritize issues and to get input on the next steps of the consultation. Landowners, agriculture producers, academics, the energy industry, and environmental groups participated.

The departments of Agriculture and Food; Environment ;  Advanced Education and Technology;  Sustainable Resource Development ; and the Energy Resources Conservation Board also provided support and expertise.

 Reports:
Last reviewed/revised: 2008-03-11