Environmentalists and landowners say Alberta’s planned pipeline review too narrow

CALGARY - Environmentalists and landowners say they’re concerned the Alberta government’s pipeline review is too narrow and not independent enough.

In an open letter Wednesday to Premier Alison Redford, representatives of the Alberta Surface Right Group, the Council of Canadians and Greenpeace Canada said they are glad the province finally listened to the concerns about pipeline safety.

“Unfortunately the review they announced still needs some fixing before it can be considered credible,” said Mike Hudema, climate and energy campaigner with Greenpeace Canada. “Albertans need and deserve an independent, thorough pipeline review that provides information and answers that we can rely on and trust.”

One of the concerns is the involvement of the Energy Resources Conservation Board, which regulates pipelines.

“They are a huge part of the Alberta pipeline problem” said Hudema. “They shouldn’t be reviewing themselves.”

Alberta Energy said the review — which will look into how companies manage pipeline integrity, safe crossings over waterways and spill response times and protocols — will be independent.

“The minister has asked the ERCB to retain an independent third party,” said department spokeswoman Janice Schroeder, who added that it will determine the full scope.

Schroeder added that pipelines have proven themselves to be a safe mode of transportation and said that the number of incidents have been declining each year.

The investigation, however, came after a series of high-profile oil spills in the province this spring, including a 480,000-litre spill of sour crude oil into the Red Deer River in early June, and a damning review into Enbridge’s handling of the Michigan spill into the Kalamazoo River.

Dozens of Alberta landowners, environmental groups and First Nations had called for the independent inquiry, citing the recent spills.

In addition to the other concerns, the letter suggests that none of the groups who initially called for the review have been able to secure a meeting with Premier Alison Redford or Minister of Energy Ken Hughes.

“Shouldn’t people have more of a say than oil executives?” said Don Bester, president of the Alberta Surface Rights Group. “This review should be about protecting our communities and our environment, not a PR exercise to greenwash the oil industry.”

Schroeder said Hughes gets asked to attend hundreds of meetings every month and will be taking another look at the requests when he returns from holidays.

Original Article
Source: calgary herald
Author: Colette Derworiz