Yellowknife (November 26, 2012) The co-chairs of the Northwest Territories - Alberta Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Cooperation and Development met in Yellowknife today to discuss the environment, economy, energy, transportation and advanced education and employment.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Thank you Chief Sangris for your welcome and opening remarks. On behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, I would like to welcome everyone here this evening. Your input is vital to our success and I want to thank those of you who have travelled from across the Northwest Territories and beyond, to discuss the energy opportunities and challenges facing our territory today.
Thank you everyone for coming this evening and taking some time to have a discussion prior to the Charrette. I am pleased to be joined by Minister Ramsay and Minister Miltenberger who both sit with me as members of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating and Climate Change Committee-of-Cabinet.
YELLOWKNIFE (November 21, 2012) – Two new GNWT strategies will increase the use of biomass and solar energy in the Northwest Territories.
“We are looking at all the ways we can minimize our costs and reliance on fossil fuels in the long term,” said Michael Miltenberger, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. “The Biomass Energy Strategy and the Solar Energy Strategy outline actions to further establish these renewable energy technologies as an integral part of the NWT energy mix.”
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to update the people of the Northwest Territories on the status of the barren-ground caribou and the condition of the various herds.
During this past summer we were able to complete full surveys on the Cape Bathurst, Tuk Peninsula and Bathurst herds. A partial survey of the Bluenose-West herd was also done. Surveys of the Bluenose-East and Porcupine caribou herds could not be done due to weather conditions. Surveys are planned for both these herds next summer.
Mr. Speaker, the anthrax outbreak this summer in the Mackenzie Bison Range was the largest we have experienced in Northern Canada.
At least one-third of the Mackenzie wood bison herd was lost and included bulls, cows and calves.
Mr. Speaker, the 2012 forest fire season is officially over.
This year a total of 298,000 hectares of land were affected by 279 wildfires. The majority of these fires, 241 were lightning caused, 25 were person caused, four were caused by industry, two arose from a coal seam near Tulita and the cause of seven fires were unknown.
There were also eight fires in the NWT section of Wood Buffalo National Park, eight fires in Nahanni National Park and a fire at the Great Bear Lake National Historic Site.
YELLOWKNIFE (October 11, 2012) – The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has exceeded its greenhouse gas emissions target. The 2007 NWT Greenhouse Gas Strategy set a target to reduce emissions from GNWT operations to 10 percent below 2001 levels by the year 2011. Actual reductions were 30 percent lower, from 54 kilotonnes (Kt) in 2001 to 37 Kt from GNWT operations in 2011. “We are committed to responsible stewardship of our environment, to help it sustain present and future generations,” said Environment and Natural Resources minister J.
September 5, 2012
(check against delivery)
VANCOUVER (September 5, 2012) -- Premier Bob McLeod and Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Michael Miltenberger are attending the Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy, the preeminent forum for water policy study. Premier McLeod will speak about the NWT’s approach to collaborative management of natural resources and balanced, sustainable development. This approach creates economic opportunities for the people of the NWT while ensuring northern conservation priorities are met.
