Why does the ERCB require submission of decommissioning reports or environmental reports (e.g. soils and groundwater monitoring) in addition to the estimate of liability?
A detailed evaluation of the site is essential to ensure that all potential liability issues have been identified, verified and where needed, quantified. It has been the experience of the ERCB that identification and quantification of liability issues has as much effect on the accuracy of liability estimates as the actual method used to estimate the associated costs. In order to validate the liability estimates provided, the ERCB first reviews the most critical aspects of the assessment which includes historical file and air photo review, interviews, on site assessments, sampling program design (if needed), analytical treatment and interpretation of results. These details are provided in the environmental monitoring or abandonment planning reports which the ERCB requires be submitted with the liability assessment. Once we are satisfied the issues are reasonably quantified, then we examine how the associated costs to address them are estimated.
