Northern River Basins Study Final Report
2.0 Study Organization
2.3 Human Health
The emergence of the NRBS Human Health Committee and the human
health companion study is testament to the power of public participation.
The NRBS mandate does not include any specific provisions for investigating
human health concerns arising from environmental conditions within the basins.
However, while health concerns were not written in the mandate, they are never
far from the minds of basin residents. Representatives from Health Canada
and the Alberta Ministry of Health were included as Board members.
In response to these concerns, the Study Board created the
Human Health Committee. The Committee served as a human health-oriented resource
to the Northern River Basins Study. The Human Health Committee and the Study
Board developed a process for dealing with scientific information that might
have health implications.
In coordination with Alberta Health, the Committee also contributed
to the design of the Northern River Basins Human Health Monitoring Program.
The program is gathering baseline information on human health conditions within
northern Alberta and will examine possible links between human health and
exposure to environmental contamination. The results will assist in the development
of strategies for controlling exposure, promoting health and preventing disease.
More information regarding the Human Health study and its findings can be
found in Section 3.13.
|
Quick Links