The federal government's new clean air plan will exempt Alberta oilsands from a requirement to cut two smog causing chemicals.

And that has environmentalists issuing a pollution warning.

An Environment Canada document projects a 60 per cent rise in emissions of volatile organic compounds from the oil sands by 2015.

It also estimates a five per cent increase in nitrous-oxide emissions over the same period.

Emilie Moorhouse, of the Sierra Club, notes every other sector will be required to make reductions and warns Albertans' air quality will now suffer.

The federal plan also allows new oilsands projects an exemption from greenhouse emissions-cutting targets for the next three years.

The government hopes the exemption will allow for rapid expansion of the industry.