Spill from Hell: Diluted Bitumen - The Tyee

Given Enbridge's record and their recent shameful public blunders regarding responses to spills from their aging existing pipelines, especially as it relates to the Tar Sands Diluted Bitumen (aka Dilbit), it is unfathomable to believe that Transport Canada has approved the route for Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCC's) to transport Dilbit through Douglas Channel and the Queen Charlotte Sound to China! Considering the public outcry of concern by the folks who know about the risks inherent in the Northwest Coast marine ways, there was no reasonable rational other than industry and political pressure and influence, notwithstanding the fact that a decision in this regard should not have been until the JRP process was complete.

Enbridge and the Super Tanker industry has somehow convinced Federal Ministries such as MOE, Transport Canada, DFO, and others, and would try to lead us to believe, that they have a full proof plan to mitigated and minimize the potential for a leak and spill from their proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline Development, all in the name of "Canada's National Interest"... More likely "all in the name of Oil & Gas Company and Albertan's Interest!!!" and at the cost of losing BC's Pristine Coast!

Allowing these monstrosities to travel through these narrow rock riddled passageways with 5 hairpin turns, which lacks the anchorage's and tugs to hold and pilot them, the unpredictable weather and current patterns, and despite the advice from experts against this, is pure negligence. Even with these obvious warnings and the associated socio-economic costs of a spill, as evidenced from the Exxon Valdez and most recently the Gulf of Mexico spills, it is perplexing how Transport Canada, based on industry studies derived from computer modeling, can say there is minimal risks!

The following article is proof that it is incomprehensible to think that Enbridge nor the Super Tanker Industry can mitigate the risk let alone respond appropriately to minimize the impact of a Dilbit spill within our coastal waters!!!

Read the following link for more details...

The Tyee – Spill from Hell: Diluted Bitumen