Public must be told of hazards
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Updated: November 04, 2009 9:31 AM
Dear sir,
The article ‘Pilotage pres says spill chances nil’ (Sentinel, October 21) gives me the impression that these marine experts were trying to convince themselves as well as their audience that navigating oil tankers through North Coast waterways is safe when they made statements like “is totally possible”, “it can be done”, “there should never be an incident”, “absolute faith that tankers can navigate the Douglas Channel with ease”.
I also think that Very Large Crude Carriers can transit the channels, including the Douglas Channel, safely, most times.
But having 50 VLCC tankers per year over 30 years, each one departing with 300,000+ tons of crude, the chance for a mishap causing a large spill approaches 100 per cent, not nil.
If it was nil, then why is Enbridge proposing very costly first response containment and cleanup stations along the route? (n.b. such cleanup may not be effective in “cleaning up” escaped oil, depending on location, sea conditions, response lag, quantity of oil, etc.)
“Dealing with dangerous situations is business as usual” captain Michael Harris is quoted as saying. Is he saying there can be dangerous situations with the oil tankers? How many dangerous situations equal a disaster?
I don’t think any of the “lingering” questions about the Northern Pipelines proposal have been answered. The more you look at the risk factors, and there are many, the more you will realize that it is not absolutely safe to transport oil in these large vessels, double hull or not, tethered tugs or not.
To make this oil shipping proposal successful, the people here - and others who will be affected by it - should demand the best possible safety systems be put in place,
And for this it is essential that the public be told of all hazards and problems and that noting is covered up.
Then, if the hazards or problems can’t be reduced to acceptable levels, the project won’t be built.
Our ocean and marine areas are worth much more than any economic undertaking that can spoil them.
Per Norman.
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