Media Release – BC Greens call for 6th condition – No DilBit on BC Coast
Media Statement December 19, 2013
BC Greens call for sixth condition for heavy oil pipelines
For immediate release
Victoria BC – In response the NEB Joint Review Panel’s final decision to approve Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline, BC Green Party MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Andrew Weaver, and BC Green Party Leader Adam Olsen are calling on the BC Government to establish a 6th condition for support of heavy oil pipeline projects: A moratorium on dilbit transport along the B.C. coast.
“We are quite disappointed with the JRP report in respect to the risks related to dilbit,” says Andrew Weaver. “The key issue is dilbit because it’s different from refined oils that float on the surface–up to 50% of dilbit sinks making clean-up significantly more difficult if not impossible. We have no way of knowing what would happen if dilbit were to spill on our coast. The science isn’t there to allow for effective spill response and this was not reflected in the report.”
According to the report “Northern Gateway and other hearing participants did not agree on the behaviour of diluted bitumen spilled into water.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has made it clear that “Behaviour models specific to dilbit spills do not exist, and existing commercial models for conventional oil do not allow parameter specific modifications.”
“Clearly the report did not do an adequate job of addressing the risks of dilbit on our coast.” says Adam Olsen. “We have a choice as British Columbians: We can continue to play Russian roulette with our pristine coastline, or we can stand up for British Columbia and put a moratorium on dilbit transport along our coast.”
Mat Wright – Press Secretary Andrew Weaver MLA
mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
1 250 216 3382
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4 Comments
Not a moratorium, but a complete, total, 100% *prohibition* of dilbit transportation along the BC coast.
At the heart of the pipeline issue is the effect of DilBit on a marine ecosystem…a moratorium on DilBit transport on the BC Coast is the right thing to do given what we know about the risks.
The War on science is Harper’s way to stifle the tar sands disaster and get the pipeline across BC. This war is also covering the Climate changes and what the tar sands are doing to the environment. Shameful King Harper!