The Red Deer River Oil Spill — Update #3

Posted on: Sunday, June 10, 2012
Posted at: 9:25 AM

This is Update #3 of the Red Deer River Oil Spill…

• With support from the Sundre Petroleum Operators Group and Red Deer County, Plains Midstream Canada continues to communicate with local landowners.   [ Article ]
• An information centre has been established at the James River Community Hall. Plains Midstream Canada, Sundre Petroleum Operators Group, Energy Resources Conservation Board and Alberta Health Services are on-site to address questions and provide information on response efforts, environmental protection, water quality and water delivery options.   [ Article ]
• Mike Hudema, of Greenpeace Canada, asks, “How many times does this have to happen before governments stop accepting the company’s assurances that they are taking environmental protection seriously?”   [ Article ]
• “We need a full public review of pipeline safety especially before new pipelines carrying even more corrosive substances are approved,” Mike Hudema said.   [ Article ]
• Critics, including Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich — Gulf Islands, are calling for an increase in pipeline inspections.   [ Article ]
• Stephen Bart, Vice President of Crude Oil Operations, says, “We want to assure you that Plains Midstream Canada are deploying our resources to contain the release, protect the environment and respond to your concerns. These efforts will continue until the release clean up is complete and the land and water are restored.”   [ Article ]
• This the second spill in roughly a year that Plains Midstream Canada has had to deal with after its Rainbow pipeline cracked near Peace River, Alberta, spilling 28,000 barrels. Bob Curran, of the Energy Resources Conservation Board, says two incidents in a row does not necessarily raise any flags.   [ Article ]
• The Province of Alberta issued an emergency alert for Mountain View and Red Deer counties, warning people not to touch, drink, swim or boat on the waterways affected by the spill.   [ Article ]
• “Red Deer’s water supply remains unaffected and we do not anticipate contamination of our water supply,” said Ron Wardner, the town’s construction and maintenance superintendent.   [ Article ]

FYI:

• The Rangeland Pipeline System is made up of approximately 1285 kilometres of gathering and trunk pipelines.   [ Link ]
• The majority of the Rangeland Pipeline System is approximately 50 years old.   [ Link ]
• According to Google Maps, Jackson Creek is approximately 50 km from the Gleniffer Reservoir — where the booms have been set up to contain the oil spill. That means, the oil spill has travelled 50 km along the Red Deer River.   [ Map ]

Other Red Deer River Oil Spill Updates:

• The Red Deer River Oil Spill — Update #1
• The Red Deer River Oil Spill — Update #2

Required Reading:

• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline
• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline (Continued)
• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — Three Months Later…
• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — Six Months Later…
• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — Eight Months Later…
• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — 1 Year Later…

2012-06-10  »  somecanuckchick