The oil leak was discovered in the early morning of April 29, 2011 after a drop in pressure was detected along the “Rainbow” pipeline, which runs about 770 kilometres from Zama, Alberta to refineries in Edmonton. It’s the biggest spill in the province in 35 years, and substantially larger than the Enbridge Inc. leak in Michigan last summer that has cost that company $550-million (U.S.). The 220,000 barrel-a-day “Rainbow” pipeline is owned by a Canadian subsidiary of Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline L.P.
The leak was stopped later that day, but not before 4.5 million litres of oil, or 28,000 barrels, leaked into a wetland area near Little Buffalo, about 460 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The oil spill was allegedly contained by a large beaver dam, which prevented it from spreading through the entire region. Alberta Environment officials have confirmed that six beavers and 10 ducks died or had to be euthanized after the spill. [source]
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| Wetlands overflowing with crude oil from April 29, 2011 spill. |
Nearby residents from the Lubicon Cree Nation are already reporting serious illness related to the spill, and local officials have indefinitely closed a school near the affected area after numerous health complaints by children and staff. A Lubicon spokesman reported that the communities affected are deeply worried and are calling for a general evacuation of the entire area. [source]
The province’s energy “regulator” is warning that it will not authorize a restart of the Rainbow pipeline, which sprang another substantial leak five years ago, until it is satisfied the line is not plagued with systemic problems. [source]
Honestly, I’m surprised provincial “regulators” are even paying attention to the spill since the Conservative government’s public record indicates quite clearly the low priority they place on the health of native populations and the region’s increasingly degenerating ecosystems.
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2 comments:
Yes, it is terrible that any eco system should suffer this
kind of devistation by polution from an oil spill. I have
worked in the oil production industry for over a quater
of a century- have physically cleaned hundreds of oil
storage tanks-have had oil accidentally sprayed on
my face and clothing, and never had any kind of health
reaction.I have worked with scores of men over the years who have had the same misshaps occur to them,
also without any health problems. Do you acctually
beleave that it could be necessary to close a school
in the area because of this spill? Hundreds of men will work on the clean up of this mess-without resulting health problems,as I have over the years.
The other great tradegy, directly after this spill hapends,is the nearby population trying to take
advantage of the public sympathy they can arouse
by crying wolf with false claims of health situations!
Ron,
I'm not sure about your experiences, but I too know many people in the business, and they have had serious related health issues.
As it happens, local officials HAVE closed down the school already, and I know Alberta Environment is considering more drastic actions.
I think its unwise to simply declare these people liars without first hand knowledge of exactly how they may be affected by the spill. Maybe its in their drinking water and they are drinking it? Wouldn't that be what is possibly making people sick and cause for a a public health concern?
I'm not quite sure what is happening at this point, I'm not there, but I do know that the locals are pissed off and people are going into the hospital.
The destruction of the watershed is another matter that can't be just sympathized with either.
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