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Lubicon Cree First Nation not consulted before Plains Midstream Canada given OK to restart

Posted on: Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Posted at: 3:58 PM

Plains Midstream Canada no longer provides web updates regarding the percentage of oil that has been recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak site. [ Article ]
Plains Midstream Canada has only recovered 49% of the 4.5 million litres of oil from the Rainbow Pipeline leak site; however, Plains Midstream Canada alludes to the possibility of the Rainbow Pipeline leak site being considered 100% remediated once the oil-contaminated soil has been removed. [ Article ]
Plains Midstream Canada was given the final OK to restart the Rainbow Pipeline last week. [ Article ]
The Lubicon Cree First Nation residents of the nearby community of Little Buffalo, say Plains Midstream Canada never consulted, nor notified the community before resuming Rainbow Pipeline operations this week. [ Article ]
The Energy Resources Conservation Board says it plans to follow up with the Lubicon Cree First Nation residents of the nearby community of Little Buffalo, as well as review Plains Midstream Canada’s consultation efforts. [ Article ]

FYI:

The Rainbow Pipeline was built in 1965 and runs from Zama, Alberta to Edmonton, Alberta.
In 2006, 7,500 barrels leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline; an investigation determined the causes were related to its age.
Plains Midstream Canada purchased the Rainbow Pipeline from Imperial Oil in 2008.
On or about April 29, 2011, Plains Midstream Canada told the Alberta media that there had been a Rainbow pipeline leak, 100 km NE of Peace River, Alberta; Alberta media told by Plains Midstream Canada that “only a few hundred barrels of oil had leaked”.
On May 3, 2011 — after the 2011 Canadian federal election — the Energy Resources Conservation Board, the provincial energy regulator, reported “28,000 barrels (4.5 million litres) of crude oil had leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline” — making it the largest Alberta pipeline discharge in 36 years.
The Lubicon Cree First Nation residents of the nearby community of Little Buffalo report “headaches, nausea and burning eyes”, before Alberta media reports on Rainbow Pipeline leak.
The Energy Resources Conservation Board denied the Rainbow Pipeline leak was making the Lubicon Cree First Nation residents of the nearby community of Little Buffalo sick.

Further reading:

2011-08-31 » somecanuckchick