Editor:
An open letter to Enbridge, proponent of the Northern Gateway Pipeline, and the residents of Fort St. James and surrounding area.
On the evening of June 20, our community had yet another visit by two communications representatives of Enbridge.
The company is proposing to build the Northern Gateway Pipeline which would pass just south of our community, crossing both Stuart River and Pitka Creek.
The purpose of the representatives’ visit was to tell the two dozen people in attendance about what Enbridge has done to date for the communities along Talmadge Creek and Kalamazoo River in Michigan USA, the site of Enbridge’s July 2010 pipeline spill of about 3.3 million litres of thick bitumen crude, this is the same product which would be carried through the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline. The cleanup of the Enbridge Michigan spill is nearing the two year mark, and the 39 mile stretch of river has just recently been reopened to the public even though cleanup continues.
More was said of the economic and social benefits Enbridge provided the communities in the days, weeks and now years following the spill.
What were the “benefits” mentioned?
• for the first few months of the cleanup efforts the communities saw their hotels and motels booked solid, and their restaurants and other businesses reaping the economic benefits of all the crews working on the spill site;
• as the cleanup efforts were downsized the used equipment such as shovels and rakes, even a pickup truck, were given to the communities;
• new access points were built to the Kalamazoo River;
• cleanup stations were installed along the river’s edge so that people who might come in contact with residual oil could clean themselves immediately;
• 150 houses were purchased from people impacted by the oil spill; some are now being used by crews that continue cleaning up the spill.
In my opinion, the presentation was crafted by Enbridge to boast about what they have done for communities in the aftermath of an oil spill from one of their pipelines, as though these are things we could look forward to.
A very real threat hangs over us, over our community if the Northern Gateway Pipeline is built. The pipeline is proposed to travel under Stuart River near our airport, threatening a pristine ecosystem that is like few others. If a spill were to happen at the proposed pumping station which is in close proximity to Pitka Creek there is the strong likelihood of the oil entering Stuart Lake as shown on a map provided by Enbridge.
The spill could easily be carried down Stuart River. Pipeline spills are inevitable and are happening with alarming frequency.
In the past few weeks alone there have been at least two pipeline spills in Alberta, the first into the Red Deer River, the second a failure at an Enbridge pump station.
I told the Enbridge representatives to take a message to their company.
My message was that I do not want our hotels and motels, restaurants and businesses reaping benefits because of an oil spill affecting our community. I do not want Enbridge to give our community shovels and rakes, and pickup trucks because of an oil spill affecting our community.
I do not want Enbridge building new access points to Pitka Creek, Stuart Lake or Stuart River because of an oil spill affecting our community.
I do not want Enbridge installing cleanup stations along our waterways because of an oil spill affecting our community.
I do not want Enbridge buying houses from our residents because of an oil spill affecting our community.
I do not want the Northern Gateway Pipeline!
Brenda Gouglas