The Northern Gateway Pipeline is a highly controversial project that is endorsed buy the current federal government as a part of triggering economic benefit through the exploitation of the Alberta tar sands. Twinned pipelines will transport bitumen to the British Columbian port of Kitimat, which is approximately 1170 kilometres in distance. Condensate, a resource that thins petroleum products for transport, will in turn be imported through the other pipeline. This is a contentious issue because the pipeline would cut through pristine, remote land, which has captured the attention of environmentalists because of the project’s inherent detrimental effects to the territory. Moreover, this is the residence of sixty-five First Nations groups, fifty-five
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One harrowing statistic says that the carbon emissions from this one project will be more than the emissions of all of BC in 2009., which would equate up to twenty billion dollars a year. The area that the pipeline will be built through is seen as an example of unspoiled wilderness, which would be forever changed by this project, and even furthermore from a spill. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association has said that less than one percent of their 830 000 kilometres of underground pipelines experience spills, but when spills do occur they can cause extensive damage. The Kalamazoo oil spill in Michigan was still being cleaned up four years afterwards, which of course has its own economic effects. Enbridge has made a series of promises as to how they plan on dealing the possibility of spills. particularly with the super tankers, by making double-hulled ships and having experts guide them in and out of the coastal waters. Trained responders will also be on the scene, and the entire pipeline will be under constant surveillance. The issue is that since it is so remote, it could be very difficult to get responders on site of a spill quickly. The National Energy Board Panel also considered the possibility of geo hazards and their effects on the pipeline. As BC is a seismically sensitive area, Northern Gateway has said it will implement precautionary elements such as heavy wall and concrete coded pipe. The province of BC was …show more content…
This would allow Canada to become a competitor in the fossil fuel market, but it would be at the expense of our environmental integrity and according to James Hansen, the leader of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies “If Canada proceeds with (developing the oil sands) and we do nothing, it will be game over for the climate”. The increase in carbon emissions and the risks for accidents make this a dangerous undertaking. The issues of environmental degradation are paramount at this point, and exploitation of the tar sands would increase them by astronomical levels. Moreover, as cited earlier, only eighteen percent of the wealth will actually go to workers, while the majority of the profit will be concentrated in firms. Moreover, the disregarding of Aboriginal rights and the elimination of jobs already in existence is immoral and illogical. This pipeline is not worth the damage it would cause to the environment, the limited funds that would be imparted to the people of BC and Alberta, the interruption of present-day industries, or the continued violation of Aboriginal rights. This project should not have been approved from an economical, environmental, or
One harrowing statistic says that the carbon emissions from this one project will be more than the emissions of all of BC in 2009., which would equate up to twenty billion dollars a year. The area that the pipeline will be built through is seen as an example of unspoiled wilderness, which would be forever changed by this project, and even furthermore from a spill. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association has said that less than one percent of their 830 000 kilometres of underground pipelines experience spills, but when spills do occur they can cause extensive damage. The Kalamazoo oil spill in Michigan was still being cleaned up four years afterwards, which of course has its own economic effects. Enbridge has made a series of promises as to how they plan on dealing the possibility of spills. particularly with the super tankers, by making double-hulled ships and having experts guide them in and out of the coastal waters. Trained responders will also be on the scene, and the entire pipeline will be under constant surveillance. The issue is that since it is so remote, it could be very difficult to get responders on site of a spill quickly. The National Energy Board Panel also considered the possibility of geo hazards and their effects on the pipeline. As BC is a seismically sensitive area, Northern Gateway has said it will implement precautionary elements such as heavy wall and concrete coded pipe. The province of BC was …show more content…
This would allow Canada to become a competitor in the fossil fuel market, but it would be at the expense of our environmental integrity and according to James Hansen, the leader of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies “If Canada proceeds with (developing the oil sands) and we do nothing, it will be game over for the climate”. The increase in carbon emissions and the risks for accidents make this a dangerous undertaking. The issues of environmental degradation are paramount at this point, and exploitation of the tar sands would increase them by astronomical levels. Moreover, as cited earlier, only eighteen percent of the wealth will actually go to workers, while the majority of the profit will be concentrated in firms. Moreover, the disregarding of Aboriginal rights and the elimination of jobs already in existence is immoral and illogical. This pipeline is not worth the damage it would cause to the environment, the limited funds that would be imparted to the people of BC and Alberta, the interruption of present-day industries, or the continued violation of Aboriginal rights. This project should not have been approved from an economical, environmental, or