Premier Ed Stelmach has halted a plan to conduct seismic testing under a pristine lake in northeastern Alberta, reversing a cabinet minister's earlier decision.

Stelmach said Tuesday he isn't concerned as much with the testing as he is with plans to mine bitumen — a heavy, tar-like oil — from under Marie Lake, a process he called experimental and possibly not safe.

A University of Alberta study says the lake has clear, clean water that teems with fish such as walleye, yellow perch, northern pike and whitefish.
(CBC)

"I have decided that seismic testing on Marie Lake will not proceed."

Last month, the province quietly approved Calgary-based Oilsands Underground Mining Corp.'s request to shoot powerful blasts of air into Marie Lake, which is about 280 kilometres northeast of Edmonton near the city of Cold Lake.

The echo from those blasts would be able tell whether there's oil under the crystal-clear water. Oilsands Underground Mining, which owns the mineral rights under the lake, expects to find close to two billion barrels of bitumen below the lake bed.

Cabin owners in the area, who had protested the testing, were overjoyed with the premier's decision.

"I think this is a wonderful win for Albertans," said Don Savard. "We heard from Albertans all across the province saying keep up the fight, this is something that needs to be done, we shouldn't be touching our lakes here in the province."

The decision by Sustainable Resources Minister Ted Morton to allow the testing prompted Denis Ducharme, the Conservative MLA for Bonnyville-Cold Lake, to call Morton a "rookie."

Peter Putnam, the president of Oilsands Underground Mining, said Tuesday no one from the provincial government got in touch with him to tell him about the decision.

"Our firm simply needs to review the official announcements and the rationale for them and we'll assess what our options are going forward."

Putnam's company bought the lease for Marie Lake last year for slightly more than $3 million.

While Stelmach has indicated he wants to get the lease back, it remains unclear how much that might cost or if the company would be willing to sell.