The Canadian Press reports that the Alberta Surface Rights Group, Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, and the Council of Canadians have invited Anthony Swift “an expert from the Washington-based Natural Resources Defense Council to talk to them about what Albertans should be concerned about regarding the province’s aging pipeline network” at workshops in three communities next week.
The three communities are Camrose, Eagle Hills (Bowden), and Lac La Biche. The Council of Canadians Red Deer chapter is helping with the workshop in Bowden (which is located about 40 kilometres south of Red Deer).
The article notes, “(Swift) has expertise in fossil fuel subsidies, energy markets and pipeline safety and has worked as a policy analyst at the U.S. Department of Transportation.” He’ll be talking about “the risks to pipeline integrity (and) unique risks that we’re running into with pipeline spill hitting watersheds when heavier types of crude are involved”.
And the article also notes, “He won’t be the only council staff in Alberta this month. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the group’s senior attorney, is to visit the oilsands region on the Canada Day long weekend.”
Andrew Nikiforuk has commented, “A Global News investigation found that Alberta’s pipeline infrastructure has leaked 61,000 times in the last 37 years. Approximately 29,000 spills involved oil, a rate of two crude oil spills a day. The remainder involved everything from salt water to condensate.”
For more, please read:
Albertans look to U.S. for pipeline counsel
NEWS: Whistleblower presents ‘bleak picture’ of TransCanada pipeline safety
Enbridge breaks safety rules at pipeline pump stations across Canada