First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

[Pathfinder]

Students feel sick after oil pipeline leak in Alberta

The Canadian Press
Date: Thu. May. 5 2011 6:42 AM ET

<IFRAME style="VISIBILITY: hidden" height=1 src="http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/HTMLTemplate?tf=/ctv/mar/etracker/trackData.html&cf=ctv/mar/ctv.cfg&pname=Workers collect oil in bins during the cleanup of a pipeline break northeast of Peace River, Alta., on Wednesday May 4, 2011. (THE CANADIAN PRESSIan Jackson)" width=1></IFRAME>
A school in the area of a massive oil pipeline leak in northern Alberta remained closed for a fourth day Wednesday after students complained of headaches and nausea from gassy, tarry smells.

"Friday morning, there was a strong smell ... of a propane or gas odour within the atmosphere," said Lubicon Cree Chief Steve Nosky. "The kids were getting sick. They were getting nauseous. They were getting headaches and they were sent home."

Energy regulators say 28,000 barrels of crude oil spilled from the Rainbow pipeline, owned by Plains Midstream Canada, before the leak was discovered and the flow was shut down Friday morning. It's the largest pipeline leak in Alberta in 36 years.

Read more + video:
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110505/alberta-students-feel-sick-after-oil-pipeline-leak-110505/

 

[Pathfinder]

First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

By Steve Nosky Chief of the Lubicon Cree
| May 4, 2011

May 2011 (Edmonton) - Little Buffalo community members, including school children, continue to experience nausea, burning eyes and headaches after one of the largest pipeline spills in Alberta history last Friday by Plains All American leaked nearly 30,000 barrels of oil into Lubicon traditional territory in the Peace Region of Northern Alberta.

Instead of attending an in-person community meeting, the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) faxed a one-page fact sheet to Little Buffalo School. The fact sheet indicates that 28,000 barrels of crude oil, or 4,500 cubic metres, has spread into nearby stands of "stagnant water." The spill, April 29 at 7:30 a.m., occurred only 300 metres from local waterways. The ERCB said the spill has been contained, but community members report that the oil is still leaking into the surrounding forest and bog. The ERCB also said to the community that there is "no threat to public safety as a result of the leak." Yet people are still getting sick, the local school has been shut down and children ordered to stay at home. An investigation into the incident is underway.
...
"The company and the ERCB have given us little information in the past five days. What we do know is that the health of our community is at stake," said Chief Steve Nosky. "Our children cannot attend school until there is a resolution, The ERCB is not being accountable to our community; they did not even show up to our community meeting to inform us of the unsettling situation we are dealing with. The company is failing to provide sufficient information to us so we can ensure that the health and safety of our community is protected."

Full text:
http://rabble.ca/news/2011/05/resid...k-after-large-oil-spill-albertas-peace-region

 

[Emily]

Re: First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2011/05/05/edmonton-stelmach-plains-midstream.html

Alberta premier criticizes oil spill cleanup
CBC News
Posted: May 5, 2011 2:08 PM MT
Last Updated: May 5, 2011 2:41 PM MT

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach is critical of the company behind one of the biggest oil spills in the province's history.

"From what I gather they could be doing a better job and we're going to hold their feet to the fire to make sure they're there and they will have to pay all the costs related to the clean up," he said Thursday.

He did not elaborate any further.....

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

Natives say spill making kids sick
First posted: <time class="published dtreviewed value-title" title="Thu May 5 02:55:36 CDT 2011" pubdate="" datetime="2011-05-05T07:55:36Z">Thursday, May 5, 2011 3:55:36 EDT AM </time>

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Excerpt:

Steve Noskey, Chief of the Lubicon Cree Nation, says his town of about 300 people is being enveloped by a sickening odour he believes is coming from the spill, the biggest in the province since 1975.

"When the wind shifts, the odours are carried into the community," says Noskey.

The Lubicon Cree Nation is located about 10 km east of the Plains Midstream Canada pipeline leak.
...
"I challenge anyone from Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), Plains or even the minister to come up to our community and have a smell for themselves," he says.
...
Noskey says he has not heard from the government or the ERCB, and isn't confident they'll do much to help his small town.

"I never do expect anything from the provincial government with respect for the native issues. We're an aboriginal community and that's all we are," says Noskey.

Full text:
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/05/05/natives-say-spill-making-kids-sick</figure>

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

Government of Alberta

May 5, 2011

Cleanup ongoing of pipeline leak northeast of Peace River

Edmonton... The Alberta government continues to work with Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), Plains Midstream Canada, and other appropriate agencies during cleanup efforts following a crude oil pipeline leak about 100 km northeast of Peace River on April 29.

The following highlights the activities underway as of May 5.


Spill overview

• The release is contained
• 28,000 barrels of light sweet crude oil has been spilled
• Oil is contained in pipeline right of way and is 300 metres from the nearest flowing water
• Air quality monitoring has detected no hydrocarbon levels above Alberta?s ambient air quality standards
• The company has implemented a wildlife protection plan
• The pipeline has been excavated and examined by company and regulatory officials
• The company has completed repairs and has applied to reopen the line. No approval will be granted until the ERCB is assured the line is safe.

Spill containment/clean-up

• Alberta Environment and Energy Resources Conservation Board worked with the company and contractor to develop an action plan for clean up and remediation of the impacted area. Clean up activities began shortly after the spill was noticed and remediation activities are ongoing.
• Approximately 300 response personnel are on the scene working on containment, oil recovery, line repair and site remediation.
• Skimmers are collecting oil from open water in the pond. Soil cleanup preparations are underway. There has been no migration of oil from the effected area, which is fenced off.
• Clean up crews are currently recovering 15m3 per hour from the pond during daylight hours, and slightly less at night due to the product becoming thicker with lower temperatures. Additional skimmers are expected soon.
• Contaminated soil is being removed and being taken to an approved waste disposal facility.
• To date, 551 m3 of product has been removed from the site (of the original 4,500 m3 estimated to have spilled).
• Water samples have been taken from the beaver pond and downstream to determine the water quality. To date no evidence of migration has occurred.
• Alberta Environment will continue to work with the Energy Resources Conservation Board and Plains Midstream Canada to ensure the clean up is conducted as quickly as possible.

Response to air quality/ health concerns raised by local residents:

• Two air monitoring stations have been set up: one at the site of the incident and one at the school. Both stations have been monitoring air emissions since May 3.
• May 4th, Alberta Health Services sent an Environmental Health Officer to the community to conduct monitoring.
• AHS has reviewed all air monitoring data conducted for this area thus far - including ambient air quality and indoor air quality at the school - and all results are well below the maximum acceptable concentration guidelines set by Health Canada.
• The Mobile Air Monitoring Lab has been deployed by Alberta Environment and is on site to measure for Volatile Organic Compounds around the school.
• Based on the current data, there is no evidence that the air quality poses risk of long term health impact, at this time.
• Alberta Environment, ERCB and AHS will continue to review the air monitoring data. AHS will advise on all health-related aspects of the oil spill response, and exposure to related air quality concerns over time.

Results of the monitoring in school:

• The air quality parameters tested in the school were carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
• The highest carbon monoxide level detected in the inside the school was found to be 0.2 parts per million. Acceptable short-term exposure ranges (ASTER) for carbon monoxide in residential indoor air are 11 parts per million or less, based on an eight-hour average concentration.(Health Canada?s Exposure Guidelines for Residential Indoor Air Quality).
• Carbon dioxide levels inside the school were in the range of 400 - 550 parts per million. The acceptable long-term exposure range (ASTER) for carbon dioxide in residential indoor air is 3500 parts per million or less.(Health Canada?s Exposure Guidelines for Residential Indoor Air Quality).
• The findings demonstrate that the carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide levels inside the school are well below the acceptable indoor air quality guidelines for these parameters.

Results of the monitoring at spill site:

• An ambient air quality monitoring station located at the site of the Plains-Midstream oil spill, detected benzene at a concentration of 1.0 part per billion. This is the only site where benzene was detected.
• Acceptable concentrations of benzene in ambient air, as outlined in the Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives and Guidelines (December 2010) is 30 parts per billion, based on a 1-hour average.
• This result shows that the concentration of benzene detected in the ambient air near the oil spill site was significantly lower than acceptable levels.

Where residents can go for more information:

• Residents experiencing symptoms can call HealthLink (1-866-408-5465) to discuss concerns, and receive advice on personal protection measures/symptom management.

Information on Little Buffalo school closure:

• Alberta Education continues to work with Northland School Division and other provincial ministries including Health and Wellness and Environment to ensure the health of the students.
• We will also work with Northland to see that students return to school as quickly as possible. In the meantime, alternative arrangements will be made for Little Buffalo students to continue their education
• For more information, residents can contact Donna Barrett, Superintendent of Schools, Northland School Division. Donna.Barrett@northland61.ab.ca Or Office: (780) 624-2060 Toll Free: 1-800-362-1360

http://alberta.ca/home/NewsFrame.cf...30348C239C6DF-F506-F658-0BB11B075FA48639.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

Alberta oil pipeline spill will take years to clean up: Environmentalist

By Elise Stolte, edmontonjournal.com May 6, 2011 6:38

EDMONTON - The 28,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into a wetland near Peace River will likely take years to clean up, especially if oil soaks into the subsoil or groundwater, said a managing director of the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based energy and environment think tank.​

​

?One big spring snow storm or rainfall and we could be facing a large contamination issue, and that?s normal weather for that region,? Chris Severson-Baker said. ?I wouldn?t be surprised if clean up takes more than a year or two. There will be a lot of soil and vegetation that will be saturated with oil.?​

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Albe...ronmentalist/4738695/story.html#ixzz1La3XvBTy​

​

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

Oil spill contained, school reopened

By Erin Steele Record Gazette
Posted 15 hours ago

Little Buffalo school reopened its doors on a day-to-day basis Tuesday following a community meeting with the Lubicon Cree Nation.
...

According to the province 7,836 barrels (30%) of the more than 28,000 barrels of crude oil that leaked out of a pipeline, owned and operated by Plains Midstream Canada, which began leaking at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, April 29 has been recovered.
...

Following the spill Chief of the Lubicon Cree First Nation, Steve Noskey said he was disappointed and felt as if he was left in the dark about the entire situation.

"This is a lot of disrespect to First Nations as a whole," Noskey said. By

Thursday, almost a week after the spill, Noskey had not personally heard a word from the ERCB, Alberta Health Services or Alberta Environment, he said.

Noskey said he would expect that he would be the person contacted, as he is the Chief of the affected First Nation.

Full text:
http://www.prrecordgazette.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3117648

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: First Nations families sick after large oil spill in Alberta's Peace Region

Wildfire forces evacuation at Rainbow pipeline spill site​

By Mariam Ibrahim, edmontonjournal.com May 15, 2011 2:01 PM​

EDMONTON - Cleanup efforts at the Rainbow pipeline oil spill site were suspended after a 15,000-hectare wildfire aided by heavy winds approached the area Sunday.
...

The fire was spreading at a rate of about one kilometre per hour and was rapidly approaching nearby hamlets and the oil spill site. ​

The communities of Marten River and Little Buffalo were asked to voluntarily evacuate Sunday afternoon, Burrows said, mainly because of heavy smoke blowing into the areas.

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Wildfire+forces+evacuation+Rainbow+pipeline+spill+site/4787132/story.html#ixzz1MSTh4cPi​