Introduction: One of the most vexing challenges of our times is how to meet growing energy needs in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. Since the late 1960s, Fort McMurray's population has been increasing and some might even say that when you look at it and compare it to fifty years ago, it can be classified as a "boom town." The oil sands of this region have brought a lot of attention to this once small rural community. However, in recent years, and since rapid development, serious concerns have been raised about oil sands pollution entering local water systems and whether environmental monitoring systems are well designed and implemented. So how are humans altering this region's ecosystem? Environmental monitoring helps us understand changes in the ecosystem by systematically measuring key environmental indicators over a period of time. Indicators are chosen as signals for environmental health, ecosystem functioning, human health, and socioeconomic well-being (Evans, Billeck, Lockhart, Bechtold, Yunker, & Stern, 2008). The primary concern: It is important to consider how much water can be withdrawn through oil sands extraction operations without compromising the ecological sustainability of the Athabasca River. After many years of scientific research and analysis, and with several proposed oil sands mines currently seeking licenses to take water, it is critical that clearer rules and more rigorous monitoring are needed to protect the Athabasca River from damage (Headly, Akre , Conly, Peru, & Dickson, 2010). The main environmental concerns regarding oil sands development are: water quality, quantity and ecosystem health. The Oil Sands Phases: Phase One - 1967 Pre-Development In 1967, the pre-development period...... middle of paper ...... 2010). There is also concern about links between habitat loss and the decline of populations of at-risk species, such as caribou. Despite uncertainty about whether the land can be adequately reclaimed and how much money this will cost in the future, approvals for new oil sands projects continue to be granted. However, there are concerns that the Alberta government (and therefore taxpayers) will end up having to pay future cleanup costs. Although operators are required to provide the government with “financial security” that can be used if the land is not properly reclaimed, it is the oil sands companies that tell the provincial government how much this deposit is (Dowdeswell, Dillon, Ghoshal, Miall, Rasmussen and Smol, 2010). Therefore, it is not even clear whether this sum of money will be close to the amount needed for an environmentally sound recovery, if necessary..