Respectfully disagree all you like, the regulation is clear, the AER operates with no public interest mandate. The bias is legislated.  

I too have dealt with the AER (and APEGA, AH, AHS), even meeting Gerry Protti, Jim Ellis, and dozens of inspectors, specialists, managers and stakeholder relation minions. The AER continually rebukes and ignores all relevant science, particularly when it comes to the impacts of harmed citizens. 

I will cite for you several examples. 

The first, changes to Directive 60: Flaring, Incineration and Venting, in which the regulation was changed to permit off lease odours, based on the "opinion of an inspector" and the duration, frequency, strength and proximity of the odours. The AER can not even use the proper, scientific  term for F,V, I wastes, which are industrial emissions, instead using the innocuous term odour, throughout all AER directives.