Representatives from Enbridge were in Prince Rupert yesterday to provide an update on the proposed Northern Gateway Project at Monday’s regular city council meeting.
Michele Perret said the company is still waiting for a hearing order to continue with the regulatory process that will involve questions to the company and public hearings along the way where the pipeline will be put in place.
Presently the company is trying to communicate its confidence in the safety of the construction and operation of the project, she said.
“There has been a change in the construction of pipelines in the mills before they are placed in the ground,” Perret told council.
“And our pipeline will have an epoxy bond coating which is a significantly stronger.”
According to Perret, the company has tried to incorporate the experience of the Exon Valdez disaster into its project plan and she showed a chart comparing what wasn’t in place then, but will be in place now such as vessel monitoring, double hull tankers, tug escorts, vetting of ships and crews, improved navigational aids, radar installation along the route and compulsory B.C. pilots.
“Technical advances are important, but as we all know humans are the ones that tend to use that technology and we have to make sure that we have sufficient redundancies to minimize for an event,” she said.
Ships carrying condensate are currently coming through Kitimat and the number peaked at 279 in 1993. Enbridge is estimating 220 ships a year for the Gateway project, with the majority being the Suez-Max size.
Councillors Joy Thorkelson and Nelson Kinney urged Enbridge to hold a public hearing in Prince Rupert so the public will have an opportunity to ask questions.
“I think people here have a lot they would like to ask,” Kinney said.
Perret thanked him for the request, said the company doesn’t plan to come to Prince Rupert at this point for a public hearing, but could visit that request if there was sufficient interest.
She also encouraged the public to not only focus on the public hearings but also follow information requests available on the internet.
When asked by Councillor Anna Ashley what liabilities would Enbridge have if a spill occurred, Perret responded that Enbridge would be responsible for spills on land, the tide escorts, the safety standards of the vessel operators, and emergency response planning for clean up. Monies set aside for that would be about 1.4 billion dollars.
“But is there money in the event of a tanker accident not in the event of a pipeline spill?” pressed Ashley.
Perret answered at this point there isn’t any fund available for a third party incident.
Councillor Thorkelson said it took over 20 years for the Exon Valdez court settlement and fishermen in Alaska received 10 cents on the dollar in the end.
Aside from fishermen, Thorkelson added, but other people in communities that are dependent on clean water for their livelihood.
“What provisions are Enbridge making for compensation to people who lose work and income over an oil spill? I’m concerned that people’s lives will be disrupted for many years. In Alaska there’s still oil in areas. I don’t want to hear that there isn’t going to be damage. There is going to be damage. What I am asking is how are people going to be compensated and are you going to ensure that they don’t have to wait 20 years in court while you appeal?” Thorkelson asked.
Councillor Gina Garon queried about the 773 water crossings of the project, asking if they will all be underground.
Perret said the pipeline will be underground except for between two and four aerial crossings between the coastal mountains because of the changes of altitude in those areas.
“My concern is that you’re going through some of the wildest country in the world and if there’s a break in the line underground and it starts seeping into a watershed and you’re dealing with winter conditions and you can’t get in there,” Garon added.
Perret said the plan is to develop response times and methodology, but that she didn’t have specific examples to share.
Jenn Rice of the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation heard the Enbridge presentation was taking place and put a few hours earlier put invitation on Facebook for people to join her for a quiet protest at City Hall. Around 30 people showed up and Rice said after the meeting she was impressed at how quickly people rallied.
“Prince Rupert is amazing in the way it can mobilize to come when they are concerned about something,” she told The Northern View.
Because the presentation took place during a regular council meeting, there was no room for public comment and Rice said it was hard not to jump up and help the councillors articulate deeper questions.
“A good question to ask is about the oil spill fund. Arnie Nagy handed out a fact sheet afterwards to the council that showed it cost billions of dollars for the Exon Valdez spill and it’s still not cleaned up. The 1.4 billion Enbridge is talking about is to cover any spill from any company and it’s not enough. We’re totally unprepared and it’s sad,” Rice said, adding that recently the Auditor General released a report stating the Canadian Coast Guard is presently ill equipped and unprepared to handle an oil spill.
“That’s now let alone without the Enbridge project,” Rice added.
Rice described the presentation as different from others made by the company and agreed it was a legitimate update, but felt questions still weren’t being answered.
“When they were asked about tanker spills they didn’t have an answer and I think that’s weak,” Rice said.
Perret encouraged people to not only focus on public hearings but to utilize