The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, Jan. 7, edition that a new study by Alberta ecologist Kevin Timoney has found that the province's energy regulator lacks the data required to assess and manage the environmental impact of tailings spills, and has underestimated the number and volumes of spills in the oil sands. The Globe's Emma Graney writes that Dr. Timoney's study, published in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, analyzed data from 514 bitumen tailings spills in Alberta from 2014 to 2023. He found discrepancies between the Alberta Energy Regulator's public data and the evidence gathered from oil companies, particularly regarding claims that spills had no adverse environmental effects. He found total recorded spill volumes from tailings ponds in Alberta's oil sands underestimate the true rates. Dr. Timoney wrote in his study: "The AER's failure to gather credible and relevant environmental data, conduct routine onsite inspections and protect ecosystems from harm is inconsistent with its regulatory responsibilities. ... As a result of chronic mismanagement since 1967, ecological risks will persist for decades. The true magnitude of the ecological impacts of tailings spills may never be known."