Firstly, the US National Transportation & Safety Board recently released a report on Enbridge's 2010 Kalamzoo pipeline spill. They were scathing in their assessment of Enbridge's culture and safety record.
"This investigation identified a complete breakdown of safety at Enbridge. Their employees performed like Keystone Kops and failed to recognize their pipeline had ruptured and continued to pump crude into the environment," said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "Despite multiple alarms and a loss of pressure in the pipeline, for more than 17 hours and through three shifts they failed to follow their own shutdown procedures." http://www.ntsb.gov/news/2012/120710.html
Why would Enbridge's culture suddenly shift ? Furthermore, their spill cleanup plans appear to be less than thorough - a slip related to their culture of ignoring safety perhaps?
Enbridge Inc.'s response plan for a potential spill of Northern Gateway oil into the pristine waters off British Columbia doesn't take into account the unique oil mixture the pipeline would actually carry, documents show.
http://thetyee.ca/CanadianPress/2012/08/26/Northern-Gateway-Dilbit-19895506/
Secondly, a long list of First Nations are opposed to this pipeline. http://wcel.org/sites/default/files/First%20Nations%20that%20have%20declared%20opposition%20to%20proposed%20Enbridge%20tanker%20&%20pipeline%20project.pdf
At what point will we accept the Delgamuukw decision and the fact that First Nations have a right to control development of their lands?
Thirdly, the tankers that will carry the dilbit through BC's very dangerous coastal waters are five times the size of the tankers delivering condensate. A master mariner familiar with these waters stated:
Kitimat operates a port situated over 100 nautical miles from the open hostile waters of the Queen Charlotte Sound and the Dixon Entrance. It is reached through navigationally difficult and narrow channels, and clearly represents a cheaper fix for the pipeline termination point for tar sands bitumen export. It shows again the lack of respect given to the power of the sea and the vagaries of human error or mechanical breakdown.
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/earthmatters/2012/04/23/marine-industry-experts-open-letter-against-enbridge-pipeline-and
Fourthly, the Energy Return on Investment on the oil from this project is only 2:41 . In other words, the EROI is 2.41 barrels of oil out for every barrel in. Check out the calculations on EROI of this project at: http://www.bcsea.org/sites/bcsea.org/files/webinars/20120522-Peter-Jacob-Gateway-EROI-Webinar.pdf
Finally, we need to stop burning fossil fuels. We must - MUST! - make societal changes that reduce our dependece on fossil fuels, instead of continuing to build expensive infrastructure that
maintains and supports our dependence.
The reasons to support this pipline are ....ummm - I can't think of any long term benefits for the public and for the planet. Please let your provincial and federal representaives know that you oppose this project - particularly if you voted for the Right Honorable Stephen Harper! He needs to hear from his past and potential supporters that they are opposed to this pipeline - even if he is reading this news in the newspaper. A poll
reveals a deep wedge between Alberta and B.C., two political pillars of Harper's majority government, and suggests a growing distance between Alberta and the rest of the country....
And it shows that Canadians outside Alberta, and especially British Columbians, don't buy the federal government's argument that the entire country benefits from oilsands expansion.
A surprising 41 per cent of B.C. respondents who voted Conservative in 2011 said they don't support the project that is closely identified with the Harper government.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Poll+finds+Alberta+increasingly+alone+strong+public+support+Northern+Gateway+pipeline/7139440/story.html
You have until August 31, 2012 to submit a letter to the Joint Review Panel on Northern Gateway stating your opposition to this project.
http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/prtcptngprcss/sbmtdcmtlctrncll-eng.html
PS If you live outside the provinces of BC or Alberta, your voice is as important as ours. Please contact your federal representive and the Right Honorable Stephen Harper and let them know you are opposed to this pipeline.
No comments:
Post a Comment