Editor:
I have questions after reading "Sea captain assures Enbridge marine safety" in the Lakes District News edition of May 16, 2012.
Apparently the council of the Village of Burns Lake was told that a tanker simulation scenario navigating the Douglas Channel was successful and proves that tankers can successfully go up the Douglas Channel unaided by tugs.
Was there any discussion of Enbridge's actual responsibility once bitumen from their proposed Northern Gateway pipelines is loaded onto the tankers?
Lakes District News reported that, "Tugs will have spill response equipment, including dispersant applicators and booms."
Can booms stop bitumen from sinking? As for dispersants, a mere 2.61 parts per million of dispersed oil (Corexit-laden) alone will kill 50 per cent of the fish test species in a normal aquatic environment within 96 hours.
This information can be found at Nation of Change at www.nationofchange.org/epa-grossly-misrepresents-toxicity-corexit-used-gulf-mexico-1336922852.
Was there any discussion of how a spill anywhere along the proposed route, at port, or at sea will affect salmon in Babine Lake?
As an informal group of concerned citizens, we first asked the village council to hear and consider our concerns about diluted tar sands bitumen in October 2010 and requested a public forum of some sort.
In November 2011, the Lakes District Clean Waters Coalition were allowed to speak and to be questioned about risks we see as too great against our well being, our obligation to future generations and our shared Earth, as reported in the Lakes District News edition of Nov. 16, 2011 in the story, "Six minute discussion on Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline project," which can be read at www.ldnews.net/news/133916093.html.
How many times has council met Enbridge and its minions?
What is our local representatives' voice in matters of human occupancy and resource use, social and cultural well being, human health, infrastructure and services, and employment and economy, as are being considered by the National Energy Board's joint review panel?
How will our local government deal with any emergency response and clean up, and how will they deal with long term economic, employment, health, environmental and social impacts after a spill?
John Phair