News
Public flare up during Enbridge meeting
Sep 28, 2010, Burns Lake Lakes District News (Read article on originating site site)
By Rebecca Billard
A panel from Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines arrived in Burns Lake last week to conduct a community technical meeting.
Similar meetings were also held in Kitimat and Terrace and were broadcasted live via a webcast.
Doug Ford community engagement moderator controlled the meeting and asked that respect be given to the panel.
“Some of you may think this project is the best thing since sliced white bread while others may think it is the second coming of the apocalypse, but I ask that we keep things respectful,” he said.
Enbridge representatives gave an update on the proposed twin pipeline project to local residents which was then followed by a public question and answer period.
The meeting was well attended by local residents who came prepared with many questions, comments and concerns about the project.
According to Ray Doering, Enbridge representative in charge of pipeline routing and marine safety the current proposed route will enter just north of Burns Lake, outside of the municipal boundary, travel north of Boer Mountain then head southwards crossing Hwy. 16 and the railway line, then crossing the Endako River one kilometre south of Decker Lake.
“This is route revision R, it is an ongoing process and we are heading into route revision S now,” Doering added.
Michele Perret, Enbridge senior manager of municipal relations gave a brief update on the recent Enbridge pipeline spill in Michigan.
Perret said that a clean up was underway near the Kalamazu River, Michigan and that Enbridge had committed to finish the clean up by the end of this week.
“We have 1,800 employees and contractors currently working on the clean up,” said Perret.
Perret went on to say that containment booms had been placed in 23 sites in the area and Enbridge were working to assist families who had asked to be relocated during the clean up.
Enbridge has also set up a wildlife response centre which currently is taking care of 306 animals including frogs, turtles, muskrats and Canada geese effected by the spill.
“A total of 1347 animals have also been rehabilitated and released from the wildlife response centre,” said Perret.
Jody Whitney, Enbridge’s manager of Aboriginal consultation and regulatory compliance for the B.C. region said it was her duty to ensure that First Nations people have access to information regarding the proposed project.
She went on to say that 10 per cent of the projects value had been set aside for equity participation for Aboriginal groups that are located close to the pipeline area.
Whitney also said there will be opportunity for Aboriginal people to have access to employment, training and procurement opportunities and that there was an opportunity of partnerships for costal First Nations.
“Aboriginal traditional knowledge of the land is a huge part of the consultation program,” she said adding that Enbridge is looking at areas of cultural significance or sensitivity.
Doering said the twin pipeline project, if approved, will cross 773 watercourses as well as the Rocky and Coastal Mountains.
“Two lengthy tunnels will be cut through the Coastal Mountains during construction,” he said.
Wet’suwet’en hereditary Chief Jeff Brown said to the Enbridge panel that he was not aware that tunnels were going to be driven directly through the mountains.
“Last we heard, Enbridge said the tunnels were being constructed over top of the mountains,” he said.
“We are opposed to the project, we are opposed to the volatility of the highly toxic and flammable materials being transported through the pipeline. It is ecologically dangerous, We will not endorse this pipeline,” he added.
Southside resident Mike Robertson asked where the ballast [A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or other floating structure that holds water for stability purposes] from the tankers was going to be dumped.
Doering responded that the ballast tanks would be dumped more than 200 miles off shore.
Robertson also asked where the condensate comes from that will be traveling through the pipeline, what the toxicity of the condensate is and how it is used.
“The source could be from a number of worldwide locations. It is a by product of refining operations around the world and a by product of natural gas liquefaction. It could come from Russia, Indonesia Australia … any number of places. It is a low vapour pressure product. Condensates do evaporate over time being a day or two, there is more information about it in the application. If condensate did spill it would evaporate in a day or so but a clean up crew would be sent,” Doering said.
“Condensate is similar to oil …. more like a kerosene … more information is in volume three of the application,” Doering added.
Local Sandra Brocklebank-Elric said that she did not understand why the decision was made by Enbridge to put the pipeline through North Central B.C..
“The terrain in Alberta is flatter, why not have the pipeline travel from Alberta straight to Seattle where a port already exists,” she asked.
Doering said, “The ports and pipeline analysis lead us to Kitimat as the port of preference. There are significant mountain ranges crossing Alberta to Seattle that can not be ignored,” he added.
Doering also added that Enbridge plan to use existing logging roads in B.C. to minimize environmental disturbance.
Local Rachelle van Zanten asked the panel, “If a leak is detected in the narrows how long would it take to discover?”
Doering responded that there would be personnel based here in Burns Lake as there was a proposed pump station planned for the area if the project is approved. Doering said if everything goes as planned the pipeline would be operational by late 2016..
Local resident Tom Dean asked, “How will Enbridge take the input they received [from the meeting] rather than it all just being talk.”
Doering again responded that Enbridge will continue to have dialogue with the public.
“We continue to take dialogue back and make changes. An example of this would be right here in Burns Lake when changes were made to the route to accommodate the Burns Lake Mountain Bike Park,” he said.
“We are not done with dialogue we will continue because it helps us mould the project,” Perret added.
Nathan Nicholas, local resident asked the Enbridge panel what parameters they have for dealing with extreme weather events.
“We had four feet of snow here in just one night and with global warming events like this are going to continue to occur,” he said.
“We have made design considerations and watershed analysis to ensure that the design applied to watercourses is safe.”
“As for power outages our pump stations are electronically driven but have back up. The back up power provides us with the opportunity to shut down the pipeline and make sure it is safe,” Doering responded.
Albert Gerow Burns Lake Band member asked about the water crossing between Burns Lake and Decker Lake saying he was concerned as this area was an environmentally sensitive area.
Jason Harris, an Enbridge contractor said, “This is a process we are working on. Sensitive areas like this will have trench-less crossings. I have been to the area and talked about sensitivities.”
Kelly Tizya, Lake Babine Nation member said, “I have heard that Prime Minister Stephen Harper told First Nations groups that it does not matter what anyone says or does, the pipeline is going to happen …. this is very intimidating. Historically white people’s ideas of consultation have been ‘this is what we are doing.’ First Nations culture is not respected.”
“We have a long road ahead of us which still requires a long regulatory process. It costs us a lot of money. If we knew the project was already approved we would not be participating in the regulatory process,” Perret said.
Another local resident asked how many jobs there would be in Burns Lake as a result of the pipeline,
Lori Campbell, manager of community skills and employment initiatives for Enbridge said there will be 165 permanent jobs in B.C..
“That’s not Burns Lake, the question is not answered and that is not very many jobs for B.C.,” the resident said.
“There will be a pump station in Burns Lake so there will be maintenance jobs from this and also spin off jobs,” Perret added.
“What about public accountability,” asked local Gwyndolyn Nicholas.
“I own a business in Burns Lake. A while back Enbridge people came in and used a picture of one of my employees to promote Enbridge. My employee is neither for or against the project, but I am opposed … we asked for the picture to be removed but this has not been done yet,” she said.
Perret said she would take the concern back to her colleges to find out why the picture is still being used.
John Phair, local resident said he had heard that Enbridge has asked residents in Michigan to sign release forms and hand over medical records and was wondering why this was done.
“I can’t answer that question as the investigation is ongoing. I have limited knowledge of what happened in Michigan,” Perret answered.
“How do you expect us to trust anything you say if you are not being truthful,” Phair responded.
Another local resident asked, “If the project is allowed to go ahead and First Nations say no, will you go ahead with the pipeline?”
Ford indicated that they were running out of time and would come back to that question as they had to get more questions in from other people.
Mike Robertson said, “Many of us have driven a long way to be here tonight, including myself. You have cut our questions off, skirted around our questions … you guys know what happened in Michigan. I work for Cheslatta Carrier Nation …. the Cheslatta people have been burned out and flooded out. If you knew you were coming here you should have done your homework. There are still people with questions that have come here to get answers … I want to know the answers to the questions that have been asked.”
Local residents left the meeting unsatisfied with the information they received and many unanswered questions.
Ford indicated that there will be other similar sessions held in the future, but if anyone had any questions they were welcome to come up to the table and ask presenters while the presenters were packing up posters and pamphlets.