WCMRC. aren't they the oil companies company?
no pipeline, no tankers, no problem 2
Fri, 2016-10-14 22:15
#302
Sun, 2016-10-16 14:26
#303
..yes quizzical that's them all right.
Diesel Spill Near Bella Bella Exposes B.C.'s Deficient Oil Spill Response Regime
quote:
Chief Councillor: ‘Complete Nightmare for Our Community’
Slett said the emergency responders will now be focused on a salvage operation “because the tug has completely sunk.”
“This is a complete nightmare for our community,” Slett told DeSmog Canada. “We’re working to mitigate what we can but the damage has been done.”
Slett said this kind of incident is precisely what her community raise concerns about at the joint review panel hearings for the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline.
Those hearings brought the issue of increased oil tanker traffic off the rugged coast of B.C. to the public’s attention. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on a promise to ban oil tanker traffic on B.C.’s north coast — something he has been dragging his feet on doing.
Housty said this fuel spill has reignited calls for a legislated tanker ban on the coast, but said that won’t be enough to prevent accidents like the one unfolding in Heiltsuk waters.
“A lot of the feedback that we’re getting on social media is this is why we need a tanker ban on the coast but that wouldn’t even prevent this kind of thing from happening.”
“This tanker ban is being legislated to protect the coast but there are people actively lobbying to limit what that ban includes,” Housty said.
Housty said that ban, as it’s currently being discussed, won’t cover fuel barges like the Nathan E. Stewart, which ferries petroleum products between B.C. and Alaska.
Slett said more has to be done to protect the communities impacted by the movement of petroleum products off the B.C. coast.
“We’ve been talking a lot about this oil tanker moratorium and I know there’s been a lot of discussion on what it will cover but this incident proves that anything we do here has to protect the integrity of the ecosystems, of the marine life, of the coast,” Slett said.
“It must protect the lives of the people who live here and derive their sustenance from the natural environment.”
Sun, 2016-10-16 15:20
#304
Feds revoke petroleum barge's rights to ply B.C. coast without Canadian pilot after grounding
A little more than a year ago, B.C. activist Ingmar Lee told a reporter that the petroleum-hauling vessel Nathan E. Stewart was a “disaster waiting to happen.”
Early Wednesday morning, that fear was realized when the American-owned articulated tug and barge ran aground near Bella Bella. Although the barge was empty after dropping off its cargo in Alaska, the tugboat began leaking fuel into the water, threatening the traditional clam fisheries of the Heiltsuk First Nation.
“It’s unfortunately a terrible thing to see it sunk there,” Lee said Thursday.
In an interview with The Province last year, Lee drew attention to a 2011 incident involving the same vessel. A series of 30-foot waves washed over the ship, causing it to lose power and be set adrift in rough Alaskan seas. In that case, the barge was carrying a load of 2.2 million gallons of diesel fuel, 1,028 gallons of aviation fuel and 700 gallons of other petroleum products.
A key complaint for activists has been that the Nathan E. Stewart was making its weekly trips using a waiver from the Pacific Pilotage Authority that exempted it from the requirement of having Canadian pilots on board.
That waiver has now been revoked, according to Capt. Kevin Obermeyer, president and CEO of the federal authority.
quote:
Meanwhile, the federal NDP and indigenous groups are calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to act on his election pledge of an oil tanker moratorium along the north coast.
First Nations need to be an integral part of that process, according to Kelly Russ, chair of the Coastal First Nations.
“To prevent another tragic event like this, the Heiltsuk First Nation must be a full partner in the inquiry to come into what went wrong, not just presenting evidence. This must include First Nations involvement in any future decision-making about ship traffic transiting territorial waters,” Russ said in a release.
Sun, 2016-10-16 16:10
#305
Ottawa reduces proposed emergency fund for pipeline spills
The federal government is reducing the size of a proposed emergency fund pipeline operators would be required to have on hand to deal with short-term costs of incidents such as spills.
Natural Resources Canada says the fund proposed under its new Pipeline Safety Act would bring down the minimum amount of “readily available” money to at least five per cent of a company’s liability from the 10 per cent originally proposed when consultations on the act began more than a year ago.
If adopted, regulations would require a large company with capacity to transport at least 250,000 barrels of oil per day to demonstrate it can cover cleanup bills of $1 billion. The “readily available” fund requirement at five per cent would thus be $50 million, versus $100 million at 10 per cent....
Sun, 2016-10-16 17:06
#306
..love the artwork
Mon, 2016-10-17 15:03
#307
..here we are into the 4th day since the spill began.
Efforts to pump fuel from sunken tug on B.C. central coast due to begin
Efforts to remove thousands of litres of diesel fuel from a sunken tug are expected to begin on British Columbia's central coast near the Great Bear Rainforest.
The process, called "hot tapping" is aimed at removing more than 200,000 litres of diesel fuel still aboard the Nathan E. Stewart, which ran aground on Oct. 13 while pushing an empty fuel barge at the mouth of Seaforth Channel, about 20 kilometres west of Bella Bella.
An oil skimming vessel, is also expected to reach the scene today as the tug sits under about nine metres of water and continues to seep fuel from its damaged starboard and central diesel tanks.
Fuel is bubbling up from the tug, but a report issued from the scene says it is being contained by a boom, while the exact amount of diesel spilled remains unconfirmed.
The report also says an oily sheen is escaping containment and Fisheries officials closed nearby shellfish harvesting on Friday....
The Heiltsuk Nation issued a news release calling the situation an unfolding environmental disaster because it threatens clam beds vital to the community's culture and economy.
"We don't know how many years or decades it will be before we are able to harvest in these waters again," says Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett in the release.
Mon, 2016-10-17 19:40
#308
there's no damn way they could've kept it contained over the weekend. the waves were crazy big.
Mon, 2016-10-17 20:14
#309
..i heard there is a storm coming and will hit the area on wed.
Tue, 2016-10-18 10:51
#310
Diesel containment failing after spill on B.C. coast
Efforts to contain a diesel spill on the British Columbia coast are failing after more than three days of round-the-clock efforts by first responders.
According to the latest report from Kirby Offshore Marine, the Texas-based operator responsible for a tug and barge crash in the Seaforth Channel last Thursday, aerial observers found oil sheen — or "stranded oil" — escaping containment booms at the spill site as well as sheen that had spread to the mouth of nearby Gale Passage.
The environmental damage has already been used to boost arguments against proposed oil and gas pipeline projects that could increase tanker traffic along the pristine waters and inlets surrounding B.C.'s Great Bear Rainforest, a home to a rich and complex ecosystem made up of bears, whales, salmon, wolves and other species.
quote:
Heiltsuk criticize government response
Responders plan to work overnight in order to speed the clean up process as long−range weather reports show an approaching storm with winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour, due late Wednesday. The Heiltsuk First Nation said that spill response has been hindered by slow response time, a lack of boats, appropriate equipment and personnel.
Only two of the community's manila clam harvesting grounds are still open after the incident, putting at risk $150,000 of annual income the species brings in for local fishermen and families. The nation's requests to interview crew members of the Nathan E. Stewart have been denied.
“Recent press seems to suggest that containment efforts have been successful. Let me set the record straight: containment has not been successful, and clean-up efforts have barely begun,” said Heiltsuk on-scene commander William Housty. “The damage has been done, and the best we can work towards is mitigation.”
quote:
Increased pressure for tanker ban
“British Columbians are waking up today, imagining if this had been a fully loaded super tanker, and thinking about the devastation it could have done to fishing resources, First Nations communities, and our environment,” said NDP MP for Skeena-Bulkey Valley, Nathan Cullen, in a press release.
"When will the Liberals make good on their promise to protect our coasts and implement a permanent ban on crude-oil tankers off B.C.'s north coast?" asked his colleague, MP Fin Donnelly, in the House of Commons on Monday.
In response to Donnelly, Garneau told members of Parliament that improving marine safety is a priority of the Liberal government and his ministry "will have things to say shortly" on the tanker ban after further collaboration with DFO and the Canadian Coast Guard.
"In the meantime, I should let the member know that the Pacific Pilotage Authority has revoked the exemption for piloting for the company in question; the TSB is on location; I have appointed a ministerial observer,; and we at Transport Canada will be conducting a compliance inspection."
Wed, 2016-10-19 13:24
#311
..although this piece was posted on the 17th it contains some good information needed to understand how things are progressing. and how effective is the cleanup. as well as the damage caused and seeing the spin.
Central Coast diesel spill response slow, ineffective, serious damage done: Heiltsuk
quote:
A Heiltsuk media statement this morning drives the point home in measurable terms:
Only 6,554 gallons of the 59,924 gallons of diesel onboard the tug were able to be pumped from the vessel before it sank in Heiltsuk Territory on the morning of October 13th. Since then, the sunken vessel has been leaking diesel into an area of enormous ecological, economic, and cultural significance to the Heiltsuk Nation.
The spill occurred just outside Gale Pass – an important shellfish harvesting site for the Heiltsuk peoples – along with herring spawn on kelp and other fisheries. PR people for the cleanup company, Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC), and the company that owns the fuel barge whose tug ran aground and leaked all this fuel, Texas-based Kirby Corporation, have insisted that the contents of the tug, marine diesel, easily dissipate and evaporate, downplaying contamination concerns. If this were the case, then why was Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) compelled to shut down shellfish harvesting for 11 sub-areas around the spill on Friday via an “emergency chemical contaminant closure”?
..here are 3 of the 8 points
These PR people have also been quick to counter early concerns about slow response time to the spill. But here are a few key points to consider:
- Initial response came via local contractors for WCMRC, employees of the Shearwater Fishing Resort – and they were not well positioned to respond effectively, according to Kelly Brown, director of the Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department. “The first responding vessels were not equipped to deal with a spill, and had to return to town to gather more gear,” noted Brown, one of the first responders on the scene. “The Heiltsuk are providing our own equipment because what responders have been able to provide so far is insufficient.”
- The main flotilla of response vessels dispatched from Prince Rupert the morning of the spill (which occurred around 1 AM) didn’t reach the site until later that evening
- The tug boat had long since sunk – two thirds of its body underwater, though initially still coupled to the barge – before booms were deployed around it. It doesn’t take a marine engineer to understand that fuel leaking below the surface, amid strong currents and tides, can easily evade booms up above.
Wed, 2016-10-19 13:49
#312
The wreck of the Nathan E Stewart: CBC interview
More details re. the recent diesel spill near Bella Bella, in an un-edited CBC interview. Includes some commentary re. Kinder Morgan Westridge Terminal.
Thu, 2016-10-20 10:30
#313
Hey Minister Jim Carr, real climate leaders don’t build pipelines
Clayton Thomas-Muller
Last week, I attended a town hall hosted by Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr here in Winnipeg. Alongside more than 60 other people, we delivered a clear message for the minister and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre — he needs to reject the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
During the town hall, Carr was booed by a number of people in the crowd for defending the fossil fuel industry, to which he retorted, “Are you booing working people?"
No, people weren’t.
They were booing the narrow view that appears to be held by this government, and shared with fossil fuel lobbyists, that the best — or even the only — pathway to economic stability and good jobs is the fossil fuel industry. This is just flat out wrong.
quote:
The Kinder Morgan pipeline would add the same amount of emissions as putting over 30 million new cars on Canada’s roads, and make it impossible for Canada to meet our Paris climate commitments. Building it would require violating Indigenous rights, breaking this government’s promise to renew the nation to nation relationship and going up against dozens of communities that have signed a continental treaty alliance against tar sands pipelines. Is this all worth it? That’s the question we have to ask ourselves, and that Jim Carr needs to think long and hard on during his next trip between Ottawa and Winnipeg.
Thu, 2016-10-20 18:32
#314
Letter to Trudeau from Movement Leaders Supporting Climate 101
Over our years working on climate change, we’ve seen youth on Parliament Hill, in the streets of cities across Canada, in the halls of United Nations climate talks, and on campuses across this country organizing for fossil fuel divestment. We’ve heard them loud and clear: it’s time for real climate leadership, and that starts with rejecting the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau;
Today, we’re writing this letter to lend our support to the brave students and youth coming to Ottawa in October 24th to participate in Climate 101.
They will be coming with a message – you can’t be a climate leader and build pipelines.
It’s a simple phrase, but one that you’re going to be hearing a lot in the coming days, weeks and months. You’ll be hearing it a lot, because you need to accept it if the world is going to have a shot at keeping the promises that we, and many other nations, made in Paris.
Right now, oil, coal and gas operations around the globe are on track to release 942 gigatons worth of CO2. But, according a report from Oil Change International, to meet a 2ºC climate limit, we can only release 800 gigatons and to meet 1.5ºC, the goal you promised Canada would strive for to so much applause in Paris, we can only emit 353 gigatons.
To put in closer-to-home terms, if Canada builds the new Energy East and Kinder Morgan tar sands pipelines, we will burn 11% of the world’s carbon budget under a 2ºC target and nearly 25% under a 1.5ºC target. (1)
In other words, if you approve the Kinder Morgan pipeline this December, you will put Canada on a path to burn ¼ of the world’s remaining carbon budget, a pretty selfish, and frankly un-Canadian move.
We think you would agree that too many politicians in this country have ignored the voices of youth, especially when 45% of people 18-25 voted for you in 2015. Now, it’s time to test if you’re listening. (2) Over our years working on climate change, we’ve seen youth on Parliament Hill, in the streets of cities across Canada, in the halls of United Nations climate talks, and on campuses across this country organizing for fossil fuel divestment. We’ve heard them loud and clear: it’s time for real climate leadership, and that starts with rejecting the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
Signed;
Bill McKibben, Author & founder of 350.org
Naomi Klein, Journalist and author of This Changes Everything
Maude Barlow, Chairperson of the Council of Canadians
Grand Chief Nepinak, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
David Suzuki, Scientist, broadcaster, co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation
Severn Suzuki, Environmentalist & culture activist
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs
Eriel Tchekwie-Deranger, Acting director and co-founder of Indigenous Climate Action
Joanna Kerr, Executive Director, Greenpeace Canada
Graham Saul, Executive Director, Ecology Ottawa
Fri, 2016-10-21 17:59
#315
..petition
B.C. needs a North Coast tanker ban NOW
Prime Minister Trudeau: The Courts have spoken. Let's make it official!
Sat, 2016-10-22 11:01
#316
Carr tells climate forum fossil fuel wealth can't be left in the ground
Two federal cabinet ministers danced around the issue of approving new oil pipelines at this week’s climate conference in Ottawa, but both concede that Liberal policy decisions will upset some Canadians.
"We’re not going to make everybody happy," Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said Friday to the Canadian Climate Forum, packed with green technology advocates, environmental economists, NGOs and climate scientists.
As if on cue, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later found himself on the receiving end of some energy policy indignation in Hamilton, Ont., where an anti−pipeline protester showered him with pumpkin seeds, shouting, "Keep your promises!"
The Trudeau government has made climate policy a central motif since taking office last November but is now trying to pivot to resource development amid slumping economic numbers. The Liberals approved controversial permits for a contested hydro electric dam on the Peace River in B.C. this summer and then conditionally approved a massive liquefied natural gas complex last month near Prince Rupert, B.C.
quote:
The Liberals have been grappling with the oil pipeline conundrum ever since they took power in part by promising both to cut Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions and get natural resources to international markets.
The policy paradox was personified Friday by Green party Leader Elizabeth May, who delivered a lunchtime address to the climate conference that simultaneously praised the Trudeau Liberals and Rachel Notley’s Alberta New Democrats while excoriating the new fossil−fuel infrastructure both governments advocate.
May said climate scientists have determined that to keep the planet from warming more than two degrees Celsius above pre−industrial levels, mankind can put only 800 more gigatonnes of carbon into the atmosphere. Currently operating coal and oil and gas supplies add up to more than 900 gigatonnes of carbon, she said....
Sat, 2016-10-22 16:33
#317
..so many layers of corruption threatning our safety. these are the pipes winona laduke spoke of from the dakota camp.
And then you add this little problem that’s called the faulty pipes scandal. What happened is, is that in July, it was announced in a National Observer National Energy Board leak that Enbridge and this other company called Kinder Morgan had purchased these pipes from a—called Cana Oil, Canada Oil, and it’s a Thailand-based company, discount pipes. They purchased all these pipes and valves that are faulty. And the National Energy Board of Canada, Canadian government says, "Emergency situation. Where are those pipes, Enbridge?" Enbridge’s lawyers have said they need time to disclose where exactly all those pipes are.
How a Texas multinational got to "walkaround" a Canadian pipeline safety order
quote:
A "concerning development"
The engineers presented their case to the Board in a December 2015 memo.
“Over a number of years, there have been multiple instances of pipe and components found to have substandard material properties on pipeline systems in Canada and the US,” NEB pipeline engineering experts told the Board in the internal memo, dated Dec. 17, 2015.
“In some cases, these pipeline systems have had failures at the pressure test stage or while operating… The failures and expansions of pipe and fittings is a concerning development, as there have been advancements in material science over time including the quality control of steel production and pipe and fitting manufacture.”
It would take the NEB until Feb. 5, 2016 to take action, issuing the emergency order which gave each pipeline company 60 days to review records and come clean if they discovered problems.
National Observer has learned that Kinder Morgan was able to “walk around” this safety order, getting its six month extension by placing a phone call to the regulator a few days before the deadline.
A Kinder Morgan official told the NEB that the company would need the extension to assess its infrastructure.
“I received a call from Kinder Canada,” wrote the regulator’s technical specialist Doug Ochitwa, in a March 30 email that was sent to five coworkers with pipeline engineering and safety expertise. ”They will be seeking a 6 month variance.”
The six month extension, granted a few days later, allowed Kinder Morgan to avoid negative publicity about its safety record in the sensitive period leading up to the NEB’s May 2016 announcement recommending the federal government approve the company’s plan to expand Trans Mountain which runs from Alberta to the west coast....
Sat, 2016-10-22 16:44
#318
..from the above post. i found this interesting but not sure of the mechanics. how it works. who it includes. threats no doubt and free trade deals. some kind of leverage.
quote:
But several legal and engineering experts contacted by National Observer are skeptical about whether the regulator can be trusted to oversee this project. They say that all signs indicate that Canada’s energy regulator has been “captured” by industry.
Sat, 2016-10-22 17:47
#319
i betcha i know exactly where those pipes are....just saying....stockpiles around here are everywhere and what they here for and why moving into secluded area to store?
Sun, 2016-10-23 14:30
#320
..petitionB.C. needs a North Coast tanker ban NOW
Prime Minister Trudeau: The Courts have spoken. Let's make it official!
an update is here:
https://www.facebook.com/heiltsuk.council/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf
Mon, 2016-10-24 17:08
#321
99 arrests in Ottawa as students confront Trudeau over pipelines
Direct action on Parliament Hill leads to mass arrests
quote:
According to organizers, around 200 people left the University of Ottawa this morning and marched to Parliament Hill. After first finding one gate to the grounds blocked by police, they were able to gain access to the property via another gate. When they attempted to cross barricades in front of the main stairs to enter parliament, they were arrested.
Police confirmed to organizers that a total of 99 people were arrested today. Video released by the group shows students standing in line to be arrested while chanting “we believe that we will win.”
“We wanted to deliver a very clear message to the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who is also the minister of youth, and say that we want him to reject the Kinder Morgan pipeline,” added D’Astous. “The police weren’t allowing us to deliver that message to parliament, so when we crossed fences to deliver that message they put us under arrest.”
According to D’Astous, those arrested were held for over an hour before being released without charges.
“We were given a trespassing notice, which means that we’re banned from returning to parliament for the next three months. We didn't receive a ticket, or any criminal charges.”
Mon, 2016-10-24 17:14
#322
Mon, 2016-10-24 21:14
#323
Here's an article from some of the students: https://ricochet.media/en/1486/arrested-students-to-trudeau-approve-pipe...
Like many in our generation, we believe in moving past business-as-usual pipeline politics. That’s probably why a CBC poll from earlier this year found that “those under the age of 35 are consistently more likely to oppose [pipeline] proposals.”
Monday’s action on Parliament Hill should be seen as putting Justin Trudeau on notice — if he approves a pipeline, he’s going to lose millennials. If he loses millennials, he could lose the 2019 election.
If that seems like hyperbole, remember that nearly 100 youth and students — 99 to be exact — showed up in Ottawa and were arrested today to stop this pipeline. Remember that we’re not stopping, and when we all go home we’ll continue to build this movement and bring in more and more young people to stand up for our generation.
Tue, 2016-10-25 02:43
#324
The NDP needs to see the future and get ahead of it. The oil pipelines are unlikely to get through. If the NDP championed the communities fighting them they would pick-up huge amounts of support and be proven right when they don't go through. They might not win in 2019 but they would be better placed in 2023 because climate change is only going to get worse. Transitioning is not an option it's an imperative. Any pipeline built would have to turn into a white elephant to save the planet.
Environmentalists are winning a lot of battles against government and international corporations. Harper with all of his centralized power and the oil companies behind him and even with a majority and ten years he couldn't get a single foot of pipe built to tidewater. Now Trudeau is trying to sweet-talk them through. It won't make any difference because none of the arguments they make address the primary opposition to pipelines. Leaks and untrustworthy oil companies that put greater emphasis on saving a nickel than preventing leaks are the problem.
For example. Trudeau talks about using money from selling oil to finance the transition to a green economy. That makes no sense but even if it did that is not going to convince people to risk leaks where they live.
Opposition to pipelines is only going to grow. Not even Couillard can be bribed to accept EE and if he were it would be stopped by the impacted communities. It would be a miracle issue for sovereignists. Canada forcing a pipeline through Quebec for the benefit of Alberta and New Brunswick would give rise hope for another referendum.
Tue, 2016-10-25 04:53
#325
Dozens of Students Arrested in Ottawa Protesting Kinder Morgan Pipeline
Today, 99 students and youth from across Canada were arrested in Ottawa in the largest act of youth-led climate civil disobedience in Canadian history. The students marched from the University of Ottawa to Parliament Hill where they were arrested trying to cross police barricades towing an oversized chalkboard sporting climate science backing up their message for the Prime Minister – climate leaders don’t build pipelines.
“Climate leaders don’t build pipelines,” explained Sophie Birks, a Mcgill University student arrested at the action. “My generation wants to see real action on climate change and Indigenous rights. That starts with rejecting the Kinder Morgan pipeline.”
Youth travelled from all across Canada to participate in and support the action, including Cedar Parker-George, a member of the Tsleil Waututh Nation, whose traditional territory faces the terminus of the Kinder Morgan pipeline in the Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, BC.
“The Kinder Morgan pipeline would directly threaten my nation and my home,” Parker-George explained. “Justin Trudeau promised to listen to Indigenous communities, well my community has been pretty clear; reject this pipeline and protect the water, the land and the climate”.
Tue, 2016-10-25 11:06
#326
transmountain is a go or at least the first and longest portion. no matter.
Wed, 2016-10-26 11:35
#327
..from south carolina
Environmental protection and watchdog organizations tells Kinder Morgan to clean up or face lawsuit
Environmental protection and watchdog organizations Upstate Forever, Savannah Riverkeeper and the Southern Environmental Law Center have banded together to issue Kinder Morgan a 60-day notice to finish cleaning up more than 300,000 gallons of fuel that reportedly spilled from its Plantation Pipeline almost 2 years ago. The spill happened in the Cheddar community northwest of Belton in December 2014. The notice is required prior to the organizations’ being able to sue Houston-based pipeline operator Kinder Morgan under the Clean Water Act. Though Kinder Morgan has hired a contractor to clean the spill, more than 165,000 gallons of gasoline is said to remain and to be contaminating the soil, vegetation and groundwater nearby. Kinder Morgan spokeswoman Melissa Ruiz says that Plantation Pipeline takes full responsibility for the spill and is actively working to completely remedy the situation.
Sat, 2016-10-29 18:56
#328
..i don't post this to solicit funds though the cause is worthy but to show how transition can occur outside of governments. this is community supported transition. and all those folks are more than community members but allies in a much broader struggle. imho.
My First Nations community wants solar energy not Kinder Morgan…will you walk with us?
Wouldn’t it be amazing to see a big, beautiful solar power project shining in the sun across the water from the existing Kinder Morgan oil tanker terminal? What a poetic way to illustrate the choices before us. Right?
I will be walking in the 2.5k race around Lost Lagoon as part of the Great Climate Race. We are raising money for a solar project in the Tsleil Waututh Nation community. We could use your help. Will you join me?
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation are the people of the inlet. Our community lives directly across the water from the Kinder Morgan tar sands oil tanker terminal. We have stood in opposition to this proposed pipeline and oil tanker project for many reasons; the most important of which is our duty to protect the inlet and our children’s future.
Our inlet, as well as the entire Salish Sea including the major cities of Vancouver and Victoria would be devastated by an oil spill. And this oil, this diluted bitumen, is impossible to clean up.
One accident and the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people, as well as salmon, dolphins, whales, seals and a multitude of other aquatic and avian species, would be destroyed forever. If that isn’t bad enough, the impact of this pipeline on our climate could tip us over the edge to a point of no return....
Sun, 2016-10-30 01:55
#329
Sun, 2016-10-30 10:18
#330
..i find all the hype from the corps and govs about how extraction can be done safely doesn't match the reality. not by a long shot.
Three Weeks Later, Trilogy Admits Pipeline Spilled 250,000 Litres of Oil in Alberta Wetland
quote:
According to the Alberta Energy Regulator the company’s leak detection system did not notify Trilogy of the spill. Instead inspectors doing a routine flyover spotted the leak from a helicopter, Williams said.
In July, the regulator requested pipeline operators to improve their leak detection systems after a review of 23 major pipeline spills found spill detection was unnecessarily delayed by poor training and a lack of monitoring.
On average it took pipeline operators 48 days to respond to and isolate leaking pipelines, the regulator found.
It is unknown when the spill from Trilogy’s remote pipeline began.
According to Williams, the company, in coordination with the AER, has shut in and excavated the portion of the pipeline responsible for the leak.
He said Trilogy has sent a two-metre section of the six-inch pipe to a laboratory in Edmonton for inspection.
“That is something that could take as long as a month” to review, Williams said.
Thu, 2016-11-03 13:05
#331
..just got this email.
Friends,
Right now, I’m sitting in at the constituency office of Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr in Winnipeg. In Toronto, more concerned people are doing the same thing at the office of Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett.
We’re calling on the Ministers to publicly oppose the Kinder Morgan pipeline because it would wreck Canada’s chances at meeting our Paris climate commitments and because it would break this government’s promises to respect Indigenous rights.
Right now, we need your help to get this message across to the Ministers. Click here and call the Ministers’ constituency offices to tell them to oppose Kinder Morgan.
The final cabinet decision on Kinder Morgan could come in a matter of weeks, and both Minister Carr and Minister Bennett have a lot of power over that decision.They need to hear from people all across Canada that climate leaders don’t build pipelines.
They need to know that governments which respect Indigenous rights listen when communities say no, and that our movement will hold them accountable to their decision, especially if they make the wrong one.
In respect & peace,
P.S. You can follow updates about these actions using #KMSitin on social media.
Thu, 2016-11-03 14:59
#332
..here's pic of the sunken tug around bella bella.
..i believe this pic was taken in ottawa.
Fri, 2016-11-04 13:14
#333
Trudeau-appointed panel won't say if Kinder Morgan pipeline is in public interest
Albertans are impatient, British Columbians are scared, the federal government failed to adequately consult First Nations, and Canada’s national energy regulator recommended approval of a major west coast pipeline without enough evidence that it was in the public interest.
Those are some of the striking observations in a 58-page report released Thursday by a special panel, appointed by the Trudeau government to review what the panelists described as one of the most controversial industrial projects on the planet.
"The issues raised by the Trans Mountain Pipeline proposal are among the most controversial in the country, perhaps in the world, today: the rights of Indigenous peoples, the future of fossil fuel development in the face of climate change, and the health of a marine environment already burdened by a century of cumulative effects. There are matters of public safety and environmental sustainability, overlaid against economic need in a province where a once-strong resource sector is currently under severe strain," — panel report
quote:
No mandate to make recommendations
The Trudeau government set up the panel because of concerns that the previous review by the energy regulator, the National Energy Board, was biased and inadequate.
But even after several months of heated and emotional consultations in various cities in Alberta and British Columbia, the three member panel made up of Kim Baird, Tony Penikett and Annette Trimbee were not able to say whether the government should approve or reject the project, because they admit this wasn’t their mandate.
Instead, they highlighted many of the factors that the government would need to review, along with a number of arguments in support or in opposition to the major project....
Concerned Vancouver and Burnaby, B.C. residents present their opposition to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain expansion before a federally-appointed panel on Wed. Aug. 10, 2016, in Burnaby, B.C. Photo by Elizabeth McSheffrey.
Sun, 2016-11-06 09:59
#334
..this from the cbc business section. i disagree with the reporter on some of the characterizations. but the story is a good reminder of what the movements are up against. since we've never been to this place before in our history, how folks and organizations will act is a bit of a mystery. the form matters because a way must be found to get past/through/over/under this obstacle. we have seen from students protests in que how far the police are prepared to go here. and toronto.
Kinder Morgan braces for Standing Rock-type protests
quote:
Meetings with RCMP
The preparations involve meeting with law enforcement.
"We've been in deep conversations with policing authorities, RCMP in the planning for our project — what can we anticipate and what their role needs to be," said Anderson.
The RCMP, for its part, won't provide any detail about those arrangements. Instead, it's emphasizing its role as an impartial party.
"We will plan for any and all circumstances to ensure police and public safety." said Sgt. Annie Linteau with the Lower Mainland District RCMP as part of an emailed statement. "We make every effort to ensure [protestors] understand where they can safely protest so their message will be heard."
quote:
Social media factor
The increase in pipeline protests and their severity is because of social media, according to some industry watchers such as Michael Tran, director of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. Tran grew up in the industrial West Coast community of Kitimat, B.C., but now lives in New York.
He suggests events such as Occupy Wall Street, China's 'umbrella revolution' and, to an extent, the Arab Spring were disorganized and didn't have a specific goal in mind. The pipeline protests, such as the efforts made last month to shut down major pipes, are much more focused.
Mon, 2016-11-07 20:07
#335
Trudeau announces "historic" $1.5-billion protection plan for Canada's coasts
quote:
Specifics of the National Oceans Protection Plan, according to Transport Canada, include:
- The re-opening of the Maritime Rescue Sub-centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. This rescue centre provides regional capacity to facilitate effective operational coordination and response to all-hazard marine incidents.
- The construction of two new Canadian Coast Guard lifeboat stations in Newfoundland and Labrador areas to improve search and rescue.
- The refurbishment of the Canadian Coast Guard St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador, lifeboat station.
- The building of two new radars in Atlantic Canada – one to be installed in the Strait of Belle Isle area, and the second one in Chedabucto, Nova Scotia.
- Increased domestic and international scientific collaboration on oil spill response through investments for Fisheries and Oceans Canada's world-leading Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
- Continued investment in response planning for the Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia, and the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, including bringing together baseline biology, ecology, social, cultural, and economic data.
- Improved timely availability of science-based expertise during incidents by placing additional emergency and enforcement officers in Atlantic Canada.
- Increased marine safety information for mariners and improving hydrography, charting, and e-navigation products, including for the Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick.
- Investment in research to support new and refined oceanographic oil spill trajectory models, including for the Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia, and the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick.
- Learning how to better protect marine mammals from shipping-related threats.
- The launch of a comprehensive plan to address abandoned, derelict and wrecked vessels, including making vessel owners responsible and liable for vessel clean-up.
Mon, 2016-11-07 21:21
#336
how is this east coast stuff supposed to help BC tanker traffic spills? he made the fkn announcement in Vancouver.....
no wonder the horses bolted.......
Tue, 2016-11-08 13:51
#337
Thu, 2016-11-10 23:54
#338
Seems that Keystone could become an issue again.
http://www.npr.org/2016/11/09/501451368/here-is-what-donald-trump-wants-...
* SIXTH, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward
https://www.liberal.ca/justin-trudeaus-speech-on-real-change-in-canada-u...
Now, everybody knows I have consistently supported the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
Trump and Trudeau, the two amigos on Keystone.
Fri, 2016-11-11 06:19
#339
T&T they're dynamite....
Fri, 2016-11-11 11:08
#340
The revival of Keystone XL is the most tragic outcome of this election but there is no political party in Canada that would have blocked it if the US approves it.
Mon, 2016-11-14 01:46
#341
Both the Green Party and the NDP opposed Keystone XL.
Mon, 2016-11-14 09:08
#342
United Against Pipelines Across Canada
Big Oil likes to portray the communities opposed to their reckless pipeline projects as “NIMBYs,” people who just don’t want a particular project in their backyard.
The federal government, for its part, has indicated it plans to approve a new tar sands export pipeline. It just hasn’t said which pipeline that will be. So it’s to their benefit if movements opposed to pipelines stay divided in their regional silos.
quote:
All across Canada, a historic movement has been taking shape. When we link arms across his vast country, we can see our true power. From Quebec to B.C., from New Brunswick to Alberta, people are coming together to stand united against pipelines.
With a decision on Kinder Morgan coming soon from the federal government, people from across Quebec are sending solidarity to B.C. and the west coast. Messages of support have been shared by André Bélisle from Frampton, Martine Chatelain from Montreal, Céline Lachapelle from St-Colomban, Denis Desmeules from Quebec City, Hélène Boily from Lévis, Patricia Domingos from Sainte-Justine-de-Newton, Alexa LeBlanc from Montreal, and the organization Alerte Pétrole Rive-Sud in Boucherville.
Many on the west coast are returning the favour, sending their solidarity back to all those opposing Energy East. This includes Karl Perrin from Burnaby, B.C., Lawrence Boxall from Vancouver, and June Wells from North Vancouver....
Mon, 2016-11-14 10:16
#343
Tue, 2016-11-15 20:56
#344
..this is brand new.
Nation wide vigils to stop the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
[On Wednesday Nov 16th at 4:00 PM (PST)/7:00 PM (EST) there will be a live webinar on this website with Rueben George from the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, Bill McKibben, and 350.org organizers on how to stop Kinder Morgan.]
This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is due to announce his decision on the Kinder Morgan tar sands pipeline any day now . We have to send a clear, national message to the Prime Minister that the Kinder Morgan pipeline would be devastating for the climate and Indigenous rights. He must reject this project. On November 21st, we’ll act together all across Canada to make our voices heard. Sign up for an event near you:
quote:
FAQs
What is a vigil?
Vigils come in many shapes and sizes. In this case, the #StopKM vigils are serious, powerful actions to demonstrate cross-Canada opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline and show that we are ready to hold the government accountable for their decision.
Wed, 2016-11-16 08:47
#345
Keystone XL pipeline not enough to address oil industry needs, says Minister Carr
President-elect Donald Trump may resurrect Keystone XL but that isn't going to quench the Canadian government's thirst for a crude oil pipeline to one of Canada's coasts, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr explained on Tuesday.
quote:
Carr and Notley agree that KXL won't address industry search for new customers
Carr said that questions about the need for another crude oil pipeline project, Kinder Morgan's west coast Trans Mountain project — recently described by a Trudeau-government appointed panel as one of the most controversial projects on Earth — are part of a separate conversation from Keystone.
"Keystone will be a decision of the American government to make," Carr said. "The proponent will have to make a decision about whether to reapply and then the new American President will make a decision based on the American interest. Canada continues to have a series of processes in place on a number of pipelines to the west coast and also to the east coast and we will follow those rules as we announced them in January."
Carr's comments echo statements made last week by Alberta Premier Rachel Notley who said Keystone XL wouldn't solve the main problem of oilsands producers, which have one market in the United States, and little access to customers in other countries in the absence of new pipelines to the coasts.
Wed, 2016-11-16 10:54
#346
Hm. I guess the idea of pipelines to either the west coast or the east coast is one of accessing other markets besides the US.
Wed, 2016-11-16 11:08
#347
..yes so lets lets take a peek under the hood.
Opinion: Premier Notley relies on fiction to push Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion
Now that a climate change denier is positioned to take over the oval office, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says her government will work closely with oil producers to grow the existing heavy oil trade relationship.
But she doesn't stop there. Ms. Notley contends that TransCanada’s Keystone XL and Enbridge’s Line 3 replacement expanding export capacity to the US by more than 1.2 million barrels a day won’t be enough. She says industry needs Trans Mountain’s expansion, too.
This doesn’t make sense. The Federal Department of Finance and the Alberta Energy Regulator confirm existing pipeline and rail infrastructure to deliver Western Canadian oil supply to export markets will be sufficient until at least 2025 without new pipelines....
Thu, 2016-11-17 08:43
#348
ya well we don't want the railway tanker traffic to continue.
Thu, 2016-11-17 11:27
#349
ya well we don't want the railway tanker traffic to continue.
..me neither. nor does the author of that piece. it's alberta and canada along with the oil corporations that want it.
..if the current km pipeline is not reaching compacity, then i'm thinking the oil trains are not coming to bby but going elsewhere. if this is so that wouldn't change even with a twining/expanding of the km pipeline. this would mean another solution needs to be found for what you and others in similar positions are experiencing. do you have any idea where the oil is headed?
Thu, 2016-11-17 13:06
#350
..was poking around for some info on dilbit trains through bc and came across this. bc wants them as well. flogged as an alternative but really it's not cost effective or even possible for what the industry wants.
..from 2014
B.C.-Alberta Pipeline Alternative: Report Looks At Whether Oil-Via-Rail A Viable Option
quote:
A joint provincial working group was announced by premiers Christy Clark and Alison Redford in July to develop recommendations related to energy exports and the opening of new export markets for products like bitumen for the two provinces, including pipeline and rail transport.
"Rail can be considered a viable alternative to pipeline movement based on costs of transport," the terms of reference for the group states. "If pipelines are not developed, rail will step into the void to deliver bitumen to the West Coast."
Thu, 2016-11-17 17:42
#351
they are limited with how many tankers they're allowed to have.
everyday they exceed this threshhold by at least doule the 60 cars