By Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, June 5, 2010
A $5.5-billion project would transport 83.5 million litres a day from Edmonton to Kitimat and beyond by sea.
Calgary's Enbridge Inc. is promising state-of-the-art technology and oil spill prevention plans for its proposal to ship an average of 83.5 million litres of crude oil per day through British Columbia's environmentally sensitive north coast waters.
 Tankers moving down Douglas Channel and along the B.C. coast pass through a range of environmentally sensitive areas, as well as important habitat for birds, fish and mammals. Some observers say the risk of adverse impact from an oil spill is too great to allow tanker traffic. Northern Gateway pipeline project proponent Enbridge says a large spill could have both immediate and long-term effects on the health of wildlife, fish and humans, and reduce habitat quality. But it contends that 'such incidents would be unlikely' because of accident prevention measures the company promises to implement if the project is approved. (Photograph by: graphics, Vancouver Sun) |
Critics and government advisers both wonder if those plans are sufficient — and even B.C.'s environment minister is questioning the federal government's commitment to provide the coast with the best possible emergency spill response if the unthinkable comes to pass.
After years of speculation, Enbridge late last month filed with federal regulators a massive set of documents in support of its application for a project with an estimated construction cost of $5.5 billion.
The company proposes a pipeline carrying crude oil from Edmonton to Kitimat, a deepsea oil-loading terminal, and the yearly movement of about 149 oil tankers — some more than three times longer than a Canadian football field — through the fiord of Douglas Channel and other tight marine sounds, channels and passes, around Haida Gwaii to the outer coast, and away to refineries in Asia.
The type, size and range of environmentally sensitive areas along the tanker route is overwhelming.
 It’s difficult to envision the size of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico until it’s transposed it over a land mass with which we’re more familiar. An estimated 83 million to 136 million litres of oil have gushed into the Gulf since the British Petroleum-leased Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded. (Photograph by: graphics, Vancouver Sun) |
In its documents, Enbridge identifies provincially and nationally significant areas for fish, mammals, birds and sea creatures, spawning areas for pelagic species such as herring and oolichan, critical orca habitat and areas of provincial, ecological and biological significance including conservation areas, parks and reserves.
The tanker activity would comprise 86 per cent of marine traffic in Douglas Channel if Enbridge proceeds, but make far less of an impact in the waters beyond that channel relative to existing marine traffic.
The project requires approval from both the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Authority — and it's off to a challenging start in the court of public opinion.
A Mustel Group opinion poll, accurate to within 4.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, found last month that 80 per cent of British Columbians support an outright ban on oil tanker traffic in B.C. coastal waters.
ssimpson@vancouversun.com
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