Every Plant And Tree Died’: Huge Alberta Pipeline Spill Raises Safety Questions

[G_j]

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/06/18/2167151/every-plant-and-tree-died-huge-alberta-pipeline-spill-raises-safety-questions-as-keystone-decision-looms/?mobile=wp


‘Every Plant And Tree Died’: Huge Alberta Pipeline Spill Raises Safety Questions As Keystone Decision Looms

By Kiley Kroh on Jun 18, 2013 at 10:58 am

As the Obama administration’s decision regarding whether to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline draws nearer, the latest disaster is raising serious concerns about the safety of Canada’s rapidly expanding pipeline network.

A massive toxic waste spill from an oil and gas operation in northern Alberta is being called one of the largest recent environmental disasters in North America. First reported on June 1, the Texas-based Apache Corp. didn’t reveal the size of the spill until June 12, which is said to cover more than 1,000 acres.

Members of the Dene Tha First Nation tribe are outraged that it took several days before they were informed that 9.5 million liters of salt and heavy-metal-laced wastewater had leaked onto wetlands they use for hunting and trapping.
“Every plant and tree died” in the area touched by the spill, said James Ahnassay, chief of the Dene Tha.

As the Globe and Mail reports, the Apache disaster is not an anomaly:

The leak follows a pair of other major spills in the region, including 800,000 litres of an oil-water mixture from Pace Oil and Gas Ltd., and nearly 3.5 million litres of oil from a pipeline run by Plains Midstream Canada.

..more..

[truebrit71]

1. But think about all of the tens of thousands of jobs KXL will generate~!!!

[frylock]

3. in the event of a spill, those birds and fish aren't going to scrub themselves

[G_j]

2. kick

[laundry_queen]

4. Sad.

I haven't even heard about this on local news. I used to live around there. Nothing but forest as far as the eye can see, mostly untouched forest. I recognize the name of the chief. Very sad that this happened in that area, but not surprising. There is SO much oil and gas development in the area, and a lot of unqualified people running it.

[G_j]

5. that is very, very sad

thank you for putting a bit of a face on this tragedy. I love Canada, but fear the lack of foresight being demonstrated so clearly.
This was a really serious incident.