Just one day after Hollywood heavyweight James Cameron wrapped up his tour of the Alberta oilsands, Ottawa has announced it will form a new six-scientist committee to look at the environmental impacts of industry practices.
Federal environment minister Jim Prentice is giving the committee 60 days to prepare a report.
The scientists will report on the state of environmental research and monitoring in the region and on how best to find any harmful chemicals in the water downstream of the oilsands projects.
"I have had my own concerns about the nature of the testing that's being done, and have proceeded on this basis to get immediate response from some of Canada's best scientists," Prentice told reporters in Ottawa.
Concerns over pollution from the oilsands brought Cameron to the region this week to talk to scientists, oil executives, native leaders and Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.
The Ontario-born Cameron said he was appalled by stories of people in the northeastern Alberta community of Fort Chipewyan being too afraid to drink the water or to let their children go swimming or fishing.
The oilsands were also a focus of a recent visit to Ottawa by Nancy Pelosi, the influential Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
And an environmental group recently launched an anti-oilsands campaign to discourage tourists from visiting Alberta, called "Rethink Alberta".
The federal committee will be led by former head of the United Nations environment program, Elizabeth Dowdeswell.
The only Albertan on the panel is Dr. Joseph Rasmussen from the University of Lethbridge.
The group's findings will be posted on Environment Canada's website.
