HUSKY OIL SPILL - Maidstone, SK

[Oscar]

Water flowing through temporary lines to Sask. communities affected by oil spill

[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/water-flow ... -1.3010786 ]

Rob Drinkwater, The Canadian Press Published Monday, August 1, 2016 5:24PM EDT

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - Now that water is starting to flow through temporary lines to Saskatchewan communities affected by an oil pipeline spill, planners are beginning to shift more attention on what to do in case their river remains contaminated when winter approaches.

Prince Albert city manager Jim Toye said one of the options that's being discussed is to return to drawing water from the North Saskatchewan River and treating it for hydrocarbons.

"That's our major plan right now. We do understand that it doesn't matter what we're doing here, we have about 95 days before it starts to get really cold in Saskatchewan, that we can't be above ground with what's providing our safe, potable water," Toye said on Sunday.

MORE:

[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/water-flow ... -1.3010786 ]

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Speeding driver damages emergency water line to Prince Albert Sask. - July 31, 2016
[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/speeding-d ... -1.3009818 ]

Crews dig up breached Sask. oil pipeline, but leak's cause unknown - July 30, 2016
[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/crews-dig- ... -1.3009137 ]

Prince Albert, Sask. could have new water supply this weekend, after Husky oil leak - July 29, 2016
[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/prince-alb ... -1.3008173 ]

[Oscar]

Water flowing through temporary lines to Sask. communities affected by oil spill

[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/water-flow ... -1.3010786 ]

Rob Drinkwater, The Canadian Press Published Monday, August 1, 2016 5:24PM EDT

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - Now that water is starting to flow through temporary lines to Saskacthewan communities affected by an oil pipeline spill, planners are beginning to shift more attention on what to do in case their river remains contaminated when winter approaches.

Prince Albert city manager Jim Toye said one of the options that's being discussed is to return to drawing water from the North Saskatchewan River and treating it for hydrocarbons.

"That's our major plan right now. We do understand that it doesn't matter what we're doing here, we have about 95 days before it starts to get really cold in Saskatchewan, that we can't be above ground with what's providing our safe, potable water," Toye said on Sunday.

MORE:

[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/water-flow ... -1.3010786 ]

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Related Stories

Speeding driver damages emergency water line to Prince Albert Sask. - July 31, 2016
[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/speeding-d ... -1.3009818 ]

Crews dig up breached Sask. oil pipeline, but leak's cause unknown - July 30, 2016
[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/crews-dig- ... -1.3009137 ]

Prince Albert, Sask. could have new water supply this weekend, after Husky oil leak - July 29, 2016
[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/prince-alb ... -1.3008173 ]

[Oscar]

Another spill, another setback for Canada's pipeline cause

[ http://calgaryherald.com/business/energ ... line-cause ]

CHRIS VARCOE, CALGARY HERALD Published on: July 30, 2016 | Last Updated: July 30, 2016 6:48 AM MDT

They’re two chief executives running two competing companies, but Enbridge’s Al Monaco and TransCanada’s Russ Girling share a common view.

The recent Husky Energy’s pipeline spill in Saskatchewan is unfortunate — and it’s bad for the sector.

Monaco, chief executive of Enbridge, said Friday that any incident is a “concern, not just to the general public, but to the entire industry.”

Girling, CEO of TransCanada Corp., said Thursday the Saskatchewan release will “cause people concern, and rightfully so.”

It’s been a tough week for those who believe in the need for Canada to build more oil and gas pipelines, including Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Rachel Notley in Alberta.

Opponents have yet another problem to highlight safety concerns surrounding the sector.

More importantly, it’s impacted the water supply for 62,000 people who live in affected communities in west and central parts of Saskatchewan.

Although this spill came from a line operated by a petroleum producer, not one of the large transmission pipeline companies, the entire sector is painted with the same brush.

It comes at a critical time as Enbridge is hoping its stalled Northern Gateway project can eventually move ahead, while TransCanada’s Energy East development is now in the regulatory process.

However, each problem, each misstep, each poorly communicated response to an emergency, comes with a price. It intensifies the public spotlight on a sector already facing heightened levels of scrutiny.

“In this environment, there’s no doubt that the scrutiny on the industry is very high. But, you know, it should be,” Monaco said Friday in a conference call.

“The fact of the matter is that the additional scrutiny and attention — although perhaps uncomfortable — is leading the entire industry, I think, to get better.”

There’s little doubt the Saskatchewan spill is making some people uncomfortable, including that province’s premier.

MORE:

[ http://calgaryherald.com/business/energ ... line-cause ]

[Oscar]

Saskatchewan government "unlikely" to clean all of Husky oil spill (See Vokes’ video below . . )

[ http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/08 ... -oil-spill ]

By Elizabeth McSheffrey in News, Energy | August 2nd 2016

EXCERPT:

Could the spill have been prevented?

While the cause of the leak remains under investigation, a former oil and gas industry engineer, Evan Vokes, believes it's possible that the catastrophic leak could have been prevented had Saskatchewan not skipped out on a crucial review of new pipeline infrastructure located near the site of the spill.

In 2014, the Ministry of Environment opted out [ http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/2014-0 ... ermination ] of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a 23-kilometre expansion to Husky's Saskatchewan Gathering System, [ http://www.huskyenergy.com/operations/d ... ations.asp ] which connects to the old pipeline responsible for the disaster. A CBC article published last week revealed that the leak began shortly after the company restarted the flow of oil through that system. [ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.3699767 ]

If an EIA had been conducted on the new pipeline years ago, Vokes, a former engineer with TransCanada, said that the old pipeline might have been flagged as an integrity risk, prompting upgrades or repairs that would have allowed Husky to avert the disaster.

“If you don’t do an environmental assessment no one accounts for what happens when it goes wrong," Vokes told National Observer. "That pipeline should have been flagged as an integrity assessment from the learnings of the new pipeline.”

Emily Eaton, a University of Regina geography professor who has been studying the impacts of oil development on Saskatchewan communities, confirmed that Vokes' theory is possible, but emphasized that because the cause of the leak remains unknown, it really is a shot in the dark.

"Whether that would have resulted in a recommendation to replace it, or assess its integrity more thoroughly and thus avoid a spill is a guessing game," she said. “I haven’t seen necessarily anything that shows that Husky is more negligent than any other company, I just think the regulatory environment is so lax."

Saskatchewan's environmental assessments too lax

Despite the fact that it would run beneath a major waterway, the 23-kilometre expansion was excused from an EIA in 2014 as it was not considered a "development" by the Ministry of Environment. According to Eaton, this is typical of the government, which "gives a pass" to nearly all pipelines its regulates.

“They’re always considered 'not a development' and therefore don’t go to an EIA," she explained. "So I don’t think there’s anything particularly spectacular about this spill, it’s just the result of a regulatory system that is particularly lax.”

Vokes, best known as the engineer who blew the whistle on TransCanada in 2012, agreed and said the engineers who built the pipelines — new and old — clearly didn't do their jobs. Husky could not tell National Observer how close the new pipeline infrastructure was to the leak in kilometres, and would not answer repeated questions on whether the pipeline near Maidstone that spilled the oil was reviewed or assessed as part of the system when the new expansion was built.

Vokes was suspicious about the lack of transparency.

"I think you’re on the right track if they won’t answer that question," he said. “What you’re seeing is politics in engineering, and politics and engineering don’t mix.”

Husky has already disclosed that it knew something was amiss with the pipeline that leaked on the eve of Wed. July 20, but did not report the spill to the government until 14 hours later on Thurs. July 21. Husky was not available to answer reporter questions at the media conference on Tuesday morning, but when presented with Vokes' theory by National Observer over the phone, Olesen of the Ministry of Environment responded:

"Hindsight is 2020. I can neither deny or confirm the accuracy of those statements."

Not an acceptable answer

Clean up efforts for the spill continue today as Husky Energy, the Ministry of Environment, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and other experts wash the shorelines of the North Saskatchewan River. Approximately seven kilometres of shoreline has been cleaned so far, and 11 booms remain in place to contain the floating oil.

Nature Canada however, has deemed the province's Tuesday statement that full containment is unlikely, as "not an acceptable answer" at all. Floating oil is indeed difficult to contain, said its director of conservation and general counsel, Stephen Hazell, but "that's their problem."

"That’s what they have insurance for," he told National Observer. "It’s no answer to say, ‘Oh it’s sunk to the bottom, we can’t get at it.’ Put some smart engineers on it and figure it out.”

He too, called Saskatchewan's environmental assessment regime for pipelines "among the worst" in Canada, and called on the government and Husky Energy to provide whatever resources are required to dig the sunken oil out from the bottom of the river.

Husky Energy has issued a public apology for the spill.

= = = = =

WATCH: Whistleblower warns about Energy East ( 8 min.)

[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUSKh1nIPV8 ]

VIDEO: Should you be concerned about Energy East? "It’s not just an old pipeline, it’s antiquated technology. We would never build it that way anymore," says Evan Vokes, former TransCanada engineer at TransCanada Pipelines and a pipeline safety advocate, blew the whistle on TransCanada's poor safety record and practices. He is warning Canadians about the danger posed by the Energy East pipeline proposal which includes re-purposing an antiquated gas pipeline for shipping raw bitumen from the Alberta tar sands to Quebec where it will connect with another pipeline to the Bay of Fundy.


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Husky oil spill in Saskatchewan followed two others nearby, records show

[ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o ... e31234893/ ]

Allison Martell and Rod Nickel Reuters Published Tuesday, Aug. 02, 2016 5:13PM EDT Last updated Tuesday, Aug. 02, 2016 5:14PM EDT

EXCERPT:

“In some ways, the oil industry in Saskatchewan has been given a free pass by the province,” said Emily Eaton, a University of Regina professor who studies the energy industry. “Pipelines seem to be a particularly under-regulated part of the industry.”

The two earlier spills – in December, 2015, and June, 2016, near the North Saskatchewan River – have not previously been reported.

And while government records show there are hundreds of small hazardous-waste spills in Saskatchewan each year, oil spills from pipelines are not as frequent.

Over the last 12 months, 11 spills were reported and three were from Husky pipelines in the Lloydminster area, where the company operates the Saskatchewan Gathering System. Three others were from Penn West Petroleum Ltd. pipelines near Kindersley.

Asked about the leaks, Husky said it takes every incident seriously, and is conducting a full investigation.

On Dec. 30, less than three gallons of oil spilled about six kilometres south of the North Saskatchewan River. On June 7, 53 gallons of oil spilled within a few hundred metres of the river, affecting about 100 square metres of ground but not reaching the water.

On July 20, more than 50,000 gallons of oil and diluent spilled, running into the river and forced two cities to shut down parts of their drinking water systems. Government records showed all three spills were reported within a five-kilometre radius.

In the past few years, the province’s energy regulator has been criticized for doing too little to monitor operating pipelines.

A 2012 report from Saskatchewan’s auditor found that while the economy ministry regulated the construction of new pipelines, it had “no documented processes to regulate existing pipelines.”

In 2014, the auditor found that problem had not been fixed.

The economy ministry told the auditor in 2014 that it was planning to amend two laws, adding “more substantive provisions regarding pipeline integrity”, but those changes have not been made. It has reorganized staff and developed new policies and procedures to guide their work.

Asked whether it had inspected the pipeline that failed, the regulator said it had not. The ministry said that because pipelines are underground, it is “most effective” to review company-submitted processes and test results.

Husky Energy conducts monthly tests with a device that travels through the pipeline looking for flaws, and inspects the pipeline every two years.

The Saskatchewan regulator has physically inspected other pipelines. In neighbouring Alberta, the larger Alberta Energy Regulator said it regularly inspects pipelines across the province.

Asked whether it was fair to connect the Husky oil spills to weaknesses in the provinces’ regulatory system identified in 2014, the economy ministry said it was too early to draw conclusions.

“Throughout the course of our review, we will further examine our regulatory practice,” the ministry said. “Should the review identify any necessary changes, we will be prepared to act quickly to make those changes.”

[Oscar]

Sask. government doing its own testing of Husky water results

[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon ... -1.3705732 ]

Premier Brad Wall is in North Battleford a day after the city approved a plan to provide a sustainable supply of drinking water. (CBC)

Premier Brad Wall says testing is already underway to make sure a report done by Husky Energy on samples from the North Saskatchewan River is accurate.

On Wednesday morning, the premier visited North Battleford, Sask., shortly after Husky released a report saying river samples are coming back within water guidelines.

"It's testing that has been done that we want to verify with our own testing independently," Wall told reporters.

Report says recent water tests after Husky oil spill coming back within guidelines

The premier said more work and more testing will be done following the oil spill nearly two weeks ago, as he highlighted that the oil and water could have settled in the river.

When he was asked about pipeline safety, Wall once again said it wasn't the right time to address it.

"It's a valid question and we'll talk when the response is complete."

- - - SNIP - - -

The premier was invited Tuesday to be part of an event called "Is moving oil by pipelines safe? 2016" in North Battleford Thursday. His office said his schedule didn't allow him to attend.

Wall will now be meeting with officials in Prince Albert Wednesday afternoon. He will tour the emergency operations centre and be part of that city's media update at 3 p.m. CST.

[Oscar]

Wall says province will launch public investigation into Husky pipeline spill – VIDEO – 2.12 min.

[ http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/saska ... story.html ]

MORGAN MODJESKI, SASKATOON STARPHOENIX, SASKATOON STARPHOENIX August 3, 2016

Premier, city officials talk compensation for Husky Energy Inc. oil spill

Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne says he will do everything in his power to ensure Husky Energy Inc. covers the costs of the pipeline breach that sent more than 200,000 litres of oil into the North Saskatchewan River. [ http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-ne ... o-14-hours ]

“They’ll pay,” Dionne said outside Prince Albert’s city council chambers on Wednesday. “I’m the mayor of P.A. and I’m going to make sure that happens. They’ve inconvenienced lots of our local businesses.”

Prince Albert has been under a state of emergency since July 25, when oil in the river reached the city, causing it to close intake valves at its water treatment plant and adopt a combination of temporary pipelines and retention ponds to provide its residents with water. [ http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-ne ... ewan-river ]

One pipeline is bringing water to Prince Albert from the South Saskatchewan River, while a shorter one is feeding the city from the nearby Little Red River.

Dionne said the city has been affected by the spill on multiple levels, as businesses like the city’s laundromats are missing out on what would usually be their busiest time of the year.

“Husky has assured me — the CEO and the premier — that they will make things right. So we’re going to hold them to that,” he said.

Dionne’s comments echoed similar remarks made by Premier Brad Wall earlier in the day. Wall said it’s the government’s “clear understanding” that Husky will cover costs associated with the cleanup. He also said the province will launch a full investigation, with results to be made public upon completion.

Wall noted while numerous tests conducted by Husky have shown water in the North Saskatchewan River has been within Canadian drinking water guidelines since approximately July 23, the province will do its own tests through the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency. He said it’s too soon to reopen water intakes.

“We need to err on the side of caution,” he said, noting the government will provide updates as testing continues. While the province has been informed of the “point source” of the spill, the cause is still unknown.

Wall said he feels the reaction to the pipeline leak is not overblown. He said environmental issues, like preservation of the province’s water sources and natural habitats, are top priorities for Saskatchewan residents.

“The government’s going to take this very seriously,” he said. “Not just in terms of the response as we have already shown, but in terms of the investigation that’s subsequent to this.”

Wall also met with North Battleford Mayor Ian Hamilton on Wednesday. North Battleford’s city council recently approved a 12-month recovery plan for the city.

- - - - SNIP - - -

Husky Energy Inc. spokesperson Mel Duvall said Husky has taken responsibility for the spill and will cover all costs associated with
response and recovery and is conducting a thorough investigation.

[Oscar]

Six years after historic oil spill, feds close the book on Enbridge catastrophe

[ http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/201 ... ill_f.html ]

Garret Ellison | gellison@mlive.com on July 20, 2016 at 4:45 PM, updated July 21, 2016 at 10:56 AM

MARSHALL, MI — A week shy of the six-year anniversary of the largest inland oil spill in American history, Enbridge Inc. has agreed to pay a $62 million federal civil penalty, which follows what's already been a $1.2 billion cleanup. [ http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/201 ... o_pay.html ]

MORE:

[ http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/201 ... ill_f.html ]

[Oscar]

Husky oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River strengthens opposition to Energy East crossing the Ottawa River

[ http://canadians.org/blog/husky-oil-spi ... ing-ottawa ]

August 4, 2016 - 8:47am

The Husky Energy oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River is making it harder for TransCanada to cross the Ottawa River with its proposed 1.1 million barrel per day Energy East pipeline.

The Globe and Mail reports, "TransCanada Corp.’s Energy East project is encountering a major logjam at the Ottawa River, with Quebec officials refusing to issue permits to the company that would allow it to determine how to cross the waterway – citing Husky Energy Inc.’s spill in a Saskatchewan river last month as a troubling warning sign."

The article explains, "In filings with the National Energy Board, TransCanada said its usual method for river crossing was 'not feasible' at its preferred Ottawa River crossing site, near the junction with the St. Lawrence River. It had promised to provide an alternative scenario this summer, but that work is delayed because county officials from Vaudreuil-Soulanges are denying the company the permits for geological testing of the riverbed. [That's because] local government officials remain worried about the potential for a disastrous spill into the river, which would contaminate drinking water for millions of residents in the Montreal region."

The article also notes, "The Mohawk Council of Kanesatake [and the] Quebec wing of the Assembly of First Nations have voiced their opposition to the pipeline, and argue that neither the company nor the government has adequately consulted them before launching the review process. Kanesatake Grand Chief Serge Simon said the Husky spill in Saskatchewan and one by CNOOC’s Nexen Energy ULC in Alberta last summer serve as a warning about what can go wrong. ...The Kanesatake leader said the provincial and county governments need to consult with his community on the issuing of the permit, which means work would be delayed even further."

On March 10, Le Devoir reported (in French) that the Parti Quebecois and Quebec Solidaire are against "the granting of a certificate of authorization [by the Quebec government] for carrying out seismic surveys in the Ottawa River". TransCanada is still waiting for that certificate of authorization for seismic testing near Pointe-Fortune, which is located about 125 kilometres east of Ottawa. The proposed crossing for Energy East is also about 25 kilometres upstream of Lake of Two Mountains, which is where the Ottawa River widens at its confluence with the St. Lawrence River.

On March 15, CBC reported, "The Grand Chief of Kanesatake, the Mohawk community hugging the north shore of Lake of Two Mountains, says the Energy East pipeline could be catastrophic for his people – and moving forward without the community's consent violates aboriginal and treaty rights under both Canadian and international laws. ...Simon said an oil spill around the Lake of Two Mountains would be disastrous for drinking water, and the proposed route cuts through traditional hunting and fishing grounds."

And on June 6, the Montreal Gazette highlighted, "A 2014 study commissioned by TransCanada deemed the Ottawa River crossing a 'high risk' proposition. The study, conducted by pipeline consulting firm Entec, concluded that directional drilling required to tunnel the structure under the river would be extremely challenging."

The Council of Canadians is campaigning to stop the Energy East pipeline and stands with both the community of Vaudreuil-Soulanges and the Mohawks in their opposition to seismic testing in the Ottawa River.

In December 2014, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow was in Kanesatake to express her support for the Declaration by the Kanien'kehà:ka Kanehsatà:ke Territory. The declaration states, "We the Kanien'kehà:ka people of Kanehsatà:ke ... assert our authority and jurisdiction upon our un-ceded traditional. Resource extraction and their accompanying pipeline by companies like TransCanada, Enbridge, Gazoduc and condo development by GDB Construction violate the land rights of the Kanehsatà:ke Mohawks and threaten the health of the environment."

Barlow has also stated, "To protect the St. Lawrence River we must ban all transport of tar sands bitumen on or near the St. Lawrence River."

For more on our campaign to stop the Energy East pipeline, please click here:
[ http://canadians.org/energyeast ]


Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]

[Oscar]

Husky could face provincial, federal charges over July oil spill

[ http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/h ... story.html ]

ALEX MACPHERSON, SASKATOON STAR PHOENIX, August 8, 2016

The provincial government could lay charges against Husky Energy Inc. after one of the Calgary company’s pipelines spilled at least 200,000 litres of heavy crude near and into the North Saskatchewan River late last month.

Ministry of Environment spokesman Kevin McCullum told reporters the possibility of charges under the Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010 (EMPA 2010) is being “discussed,” but provided few other details.

“Under EMPA 2010, there are different regulations that we follow, and different cases that could be brought forward,” McCullum said during a conference call Friday morning, before adding that it would be “premature” to release more information.

The legislation, which came into force last year, prohibits the “discharge of a substance into the environment in an amount, concentration or level or at a rate of release that may cause or is causing an adverse effect.”

Anyone found guilty of violating it could be hit with a fine of up to $1 million for “each day or part of a day during which the offence continues,” as well as up to three years in prison.

The previous version of the province’s environmental protection act — which EMPA 2010 replaced — limited the maximum financial penalty to a single $1 million fine.

“The consequences are … very, very significant,” Chad Eggerman, a partner in the law firm Miller Thomson LLP’s Saskatoon office specializing in environmental law, said of the penalties laid out in EMPA 2010.

Because the law only came into effect a year ago — and marks a fundamental shift in environmental enforcement, away from prescriptive enforcement and towards results-based oversight — there is uncertainty about its application, Eggerman said.

“These maximum penalties have not been imposed yet. Everyone’s real sensitive about how you impose — and if you impose — these penalties, because it sets a precedent.”

While millions of dollars in fines could be a blow to even the largest company, Eggerman said convictions for environmental offences come with another, possibly more significant, penalty.

“Corporations now actually care a lot about what people are saying about them, and branding and portraying themselves as being a very responsible corporate citizen,” he said.

“They’re concerned about that because they know it affects their bottom line,” he added, explaining that a reputation in tatters can have long-term consequences for companies planning new projects.

Husky could also face charges and fines of up to $50,000 under the provincial Pipelines Act, 1998, and more significant penalties under the Federal Fisheries Act, which governs of the country’s many waterways.

The Fisheries Act states that anyone found guilty of dumping a “deleterious substance” into the water faces a fine of up to $500,000, with additional fines and up to two years in jail possible for subsequent offences.

Representatives of Environment and Climate Change Canada, the federal ministry responsible for protecting the environment, were not available for comment Friday.

Husky spokesman Mel Duvall did not provide answers to specific questions about whether the company expects to be charged under federal or provincial environmental laws.

MORE:

[ http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/h ... story.html ]

[Oscar]

PUTTING WATER FIRST: Protecting Saskatchewan’s Waterways Must Become Top Government Priority

QVEA STATEMENT ON HUSKY OIL CONTAMINATION OF NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER, July 2016

The contamination of the North Saskatchewan River from 250,000 litres of heavy oil and chemicals from the rupture of Husky Oil’s pipeline near Maidstone clearly shows that Saskatchewan’s waterways are at risk from unfettered energy industry expansion. 80,000 people lost their primary source of domestic water. Residents lost their access to this rich recreational river-way. Treaty rights to access the lush river ecosystem have been breached. Biota, wildlife and environmental health will all suffer along this mighty, meandering river.

MITIGATION FAILED

Attempts at mitigation have been seriously flawed. Warnings about the leak started on the evening of Wednesday July 20th, not the next morning, as first reported by Husky. What was the company doing during this unaccounted 14-hour period?

The berms failed to prevent the oil from entering the North Saskatchewan. Then river booms failed to stop most of the oil from going downstream, where it threatened the drinking water of North Battleford, Prince Albert and Melfort. This contamination spread 500 km, from one side of the province to the other. And it is nonsense for Husky to claim that 40% of the heavy oil has been cleaned up; we will be lucky if they get 5-10% recovery, the average for oil spills.

Prince Albert was forced to declare a state of emergency and passed a bylaw to compel water conservation; rural residents were completely cut off from their water supply. Muskoday First Nations 15 KM south of Prince Albert declared an emergency over water supply. The 30 KM overland pipeline from the South Saskatchewan River to Prince Albert’s water treatment plant is only a temporary measure and yet very costly. It is only a few months to freeze up.

Saskatchewan only has a few major waterways, on which most of the population depends. There is too much at risk having oil pipelines near our waterways. Why was this pipeline allowed to be built so close to the North Saskatchewan River?

It is now reported that the leak came from only 300 metres from the riverbank; many riverside municipal lagoons must be built further back than this.

And how many other pipelines exist along our vulnerable waterways? If the Energy East Pipeline is approved, what threats will it bring to the Qu’Appelle Watershed? We need answers!

POOR PIPELINE REGULATION

Only interprovincial pipelines are federally regulated, the rest are provincial responsibility. Most are under-regulated or self-regulated. There are multiple overland pipelines in Saskatchewan already doing serious damage to the land.

Over 8,000 industrial spills have occurred in Saskatchewan since 2006 and 17% of these were by Husky Oil, the largest oil producer in the province. Most simply go unreported in the media.

In 2012, the Auditor found the province “did not have effective processes to ensure full compliance” with pipeline legislation. It stated: “There are requirements under this legislation that are not being acted upon. Failure to regulate pipelines effectively could harm people or the environment”. Its follow up 2014 report found the province still had not implemented the most vital recommendations. It still hasn’t.

RENEWABLE ENERGY REQUIRED

Even without Husky contaminating the North Saskatchewan, ongoing spills demonstrate the need to fully embrace a non-toxic energy system. A move to solar and wind-generated electricity will reduce threats to our waterways and to our water quality.

But until we make this full conversion away from fossil fuels, why is a heavy oil pipeline even allowed to be built where it can threaten a major waterway?

PREMIER WALL ON PIPELINES

Premier Wall’s statement that pipelines are “the safest way” to transport oil was completely misplaced. It doesn’t matter whether one of our waterways is contaminated from a pipeline break or from a rail accident; our waterways and population need to be protected from both. It was not a good sign that for almost a week Wall remained quiet about Husky’s oil spill. This is one of Saskatchewan’s worst environmental disasters. Things could get much worse: if a spill happened during winter freeze-up, there would be no technology available to even attempt a clean-up.

OVERSIGHT BODIES, NOT CUTS

The North Saskatchewan River is not the only Saskatchewan waterway at great risk. The Qu’Appelle Watershed has endured ongoing releases of Regina’s untreated sewage and toxic agricultural run-off, and plans are now in the works to divert millions of cubic metres of surface water into upstream potash solution mines. This water will be permanently taken out of the hydrological cycle to the detriment of the long-term health of the watershed and future generations.

We must NOW “put water first”.

Saskatchewan has very few waterways and all need stringent protection. Yet in the 2016 budget there was a $2.7 million dollar cut to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Branch which is supposed to enforce the regulation of the oil industry. Meanwhile the province still can’t confirm when Husky’s ruptured pipeline was last inspected or whether Husky even had the required Emergency Plan in place. And we now learn that in 2014 Husky was given permission to build a pipeline under the North Saskatchewan River without any environmental assessment at all.

Also, the province is cutting funds to Saskatoon’s Meewasin Valley Authority, which maintains trails and habitat along the South Saskatchewan River. Rather than such cuts, the government should be rigorously investing in watershed protection, restoration and oversight. Many of the recommendations to protect the Qu’Appelle Valley watershed, made in the 1972 Qu’Appelle Implementation Board Study, still apply. They are even more urgent now, yet we still see no positive provincial action at all.


And there are no longer any such oversight agencies to ensure that the lakes, wetlands, landscape, habitats and water quality in any of Saskatchewan’s watersheds are being protected and restored. This must change.

PUTTING WATER FIRST

Our watersheds and water quality must be protected from further industrial abuse. Industrial self-regulation and reactive municipal actions cannot accomplish this. It is time for the province to fundamentally rethink its policies to make watershed protection and restoration a top priority.

Let Husky Oil’s contamination of the North Saskatchewan be our wake-up call so that such environmental abuse is not allowed to become normalized. Clean water is already scarce on the prairies and with climate change it will become even scarcer. We must now “put water first”.

The Qu’Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) was formed in early 2016 to protect and restore the Qu’Appelle watershed and landscape. During the April provincial election it sponsored the first ever all-candidates forum focusing on the environment. It has worked with opposition parties and area residents to raise awareness about the dangers from the proposed Chinese Yancoal potash solution mine upstream from the Qu’Appelle Valley. It is the watchdog on local governments in the valley when they do not follow environment protection regulations. It is committed to work with other independent organizations protecting Saskatchewan watersheds.

The QVEA meets every second Wednesday of the month, alternating at 3 and 7 pm, at the Qu’Appelle Valley Centre for the Arts in Fort Qu’Appelle.

Jim Harding
djharding@sasktel.net

[Oscar]

Hunger striker protesting handling of North Saskatchewan River oil spill

[ http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-ne ... -oil-spill ]

StarPhoenix reporter Jason Warick Published on: August 8, 2016 | Last Updated: August 8, 2016 6:22 AM CST
​
Emil Bell has been on a hunger strike since Aug. 5 in protest of the handling of the North Saskatchewan River Oil Spill.

An elderly First Nations man has not eaten in four days to protest the handling of last month’s oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River.

Canoe Lake Cree First Nation member Emil Bell, 75, said he began his hunger strike Friday, drinking only water. He’s set up a teepee on the Duck Lake-area farm of Cree historian and activist Tyrone Tootoosis.

“I’m hanging in there,” Bell said.

On July 20, an estimated 250,000 litres of oil spilled into the North Saskatchewan River near Maidstone because of a ruptured Husky Energy pipeline. It forced North Battleford, Prince Albert and other communities to shut off their drinking water intakes and scramble to set up alternative sources.

Questions are being raised about the stringency of regulations and the speed of the response by the government and Husky.

Bell is hoping Saskatchewan residents will pause and consider the importance of clean water and land — and then fight for it. He and Tootoosis are welcoming anyone to visit them at the encampment to contribute ideas and form partnerships. They hope to make more connections and give updates via Facebook.

Bell would like to see Saskatchewan environmentalists, indigenous people, farmers, ranchers and the general public unite to demand more from government and resource companies. He cited the powerful union of these groups in South Dakota which calls itself the Cowboys and Indians Alliance.

“We all need water. We need to get together and fight for it. It is a sacred gift,” Bell said.

The lax oil spill regulations and the slow response prove that major changes are needed, Bell said. He added Husky and the provincial government need to do more, but said that won’t happen without public pressure.

Tootoosis said he was happy to host Bell.

“I support him 100 per cent. I think the public should also have concerns about the spill,” Tootoosis said. “Oil and gas may be important, but water is life.”

Tootoosis said they are already speaking with groups and individuals about events and action they can take.

[Oscar]

Prince Albert starts billing Husky Energy for costs of oil pipelinespill in river

[ http://business.financialpost.com/news/ ... =c69c-1c8a ]

The Canadian Press | August 11, 2016 11:49 AM ET

PRINCE ALBERT, Alta. — The City of Prince Albert has started billing Husky Energy for the cost of dealing with the effects of the company’s oil pipeline spill.

The city says it has spent “millions of dollars” in the three weeks since the pipeline leaked up 250,000 litres of heavy oil and chemicals into the North Saskatchewan River.

The spill forced the city to close its water treatment plant intake in the river and scramble to hook up new sources of water for thousands of people in the region.

The city is seeking compensation for staff salaries, contractors and materials and for employees laid off due to the temporary closure of facilities such as the Kinsmen Water Park.

- - - SNIP - - -

There is no word on when the city will be able to resume using its North Saskatchewan River water intake valve.

The cause of the oil spill is under investigation.


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Husky Oil Spill a Stark Reminder of the Risks of Energy East

[ http://environmentaldefence.ca/2016/08/ ... ergy-east/ ]

Aug 12 2016 Patrick DeRochie, Program Manager, Climate & Energy Categories: Energy East,

The oil industry keeps telling us that its pipelines are safe. But on July 20, a Husky oil pipeline in Saskatchewan ruptured [ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon ... -1.3691306 ], leaking up to 250,000 litres of heavy crude oil and diluent into the North Saskatchewan River. The spill killed birds, fish and other animals [ http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/08 ... -oil-spill ], forced a First Nation to declare a state of emergency [ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.3698261 ], and polluted the drinking water supplies of 70,000 people – for months to come. [ http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2016/08/02/husk ... ns-sought/ ]

The Husky spill is unfolding just as the National Energy Board (NEB) begins its review of the proposed Energy East pipeline [ http://environmentaldefence.ca/stopping-energy-east/ ]. The spilled crude has already contaminated hundreds of kilometres of river and shoreline, serving as a stark reminder of the risks of pipelines to our communities, environment and water. It’s one more reason to tell Ottawa to reject Energy East. [ http://action.environmentaldefence.ca/p ... _KEY=18206 ]

It will probably take months of investigations to get the full picture, but here’s what we know. The Saskatchewan spill was first detected by Husky Energy’s pipeline monitoring system on the evening of July 20th, but the company did not notify the Saskatchewan government until the next morning, 14 hours later. [ https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/0 ... spill.html ]

Equally outrageous, Husky didn’t dispatch a crew and didn’t shut down the pipeline until the morning of July 21st. The delayed response meant that the spill, equivalent to two full rail tanker cars, travelled 500 km down the North Saskatchewan River, forcing three downstream cities to shut down their water supply intakes [ http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2016/08/02/husk ... ns-sought/ ]and the Muskoday First Nation to declare a state of emergency. [ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.3698261 ]

Over three weeks after the spill, water samples still show levels of hydrocarbons too high for healthy aquatic life and drinking water [ http://globalnews.ca/news/2877762/hydro ... ask-river/ ]. The Saskatchewan government has admitted that it is unlikely [ http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/08 ... -oil-spill ] that cleanup crews will be able to recover all of the oil as portions have already sunk to the riverbed (similar to the behaviour of diluted bitumen in water). [ http://thestarphoenix.com/business/ener ... ommunities ]

Husky Energy has been roundly criticized for its poor spill response and for its initial misrepresentation of the chain of events. The company’s apology for the spill is cold comfort to the 70,000 residents who no longer have a clean supply of drinking water from the North Saskatchewan River. [ https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/0 ... spill.html ]

As much as oil companies talk about pipeline safety and emergency response, the reality is that the oil industry has an atrocious record on spills. The Transportation Safety Board reports that there were 69 significant pipeline spills in Canada in 2015 alone [ http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/stats/pipeline ... 5-tbls.asp ]. The Husky spill was the third oil spill near the North Saskatchewan River in just eight months. [ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o ... e31234893/ ]

TransCanada, the pipeline company behind Energy East, has a similarly bad record on the environment [ https://www.conservationcouncil.ca/tran ... ntability/ ]. Its Keystone I pipeline leaked oil a disastrous 12 times in its first year of operation [ https://thinkprogress.org/oil-leak-from ... .bwti2wa69 ]. A 2014 NEB audit found TransCanada failed to meet standards in hazard identification, risk assessment and control, operational control, and inspection, measurement and monitoring and management review. [ http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/transca ... -1.2551321 ]

As the review of the proposed Energy East pipeline kicks off in New Brunswick, the Husky spill underscores that many Canadians are rightfully concerned about the risks the pipeline would bring. It shows that even a limited spill from a relatively small gathering pipeline poses unacceptable risks to our drinking water and environment.

For comparison, the Husky pipeline was just 16 inches in diameter [ http://www.pipelinenews.ca/news/local-n ... -1.2311092 ], while the proposed Energy East pipeline would be a whopping 42 inches across. If built, Energy East would transport 1.1 million barrels of tar sands oil per day 4,600 km across Canada, crossing nearly 3,000 lakes, rivers and streams before loading the oil onto tankers in the Bay of Fundy [ http://savefundy.ca/ ]. The export pipeline would put the drinking water of over 5 million Canadians at risk. [ http://environmentaldefence.ca/report/e ... ing-water/ ]

EE Drinking Water report
[ http://environmentaldefence.ca/report/e ... ing-water/ ]

The question is not if pipelines spill, but when. Are Canadians really supposed to believe TransCanada when it says that Energy East, the largest tar sands pipeline ever proposed in this country, can deliver oil safely and responsibly? [ https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/201 ... aring.html ]

The Husky oil spill in Saskatchewan is a sad reminder of the risks of Energy East. We don’t need another massive oil pipeline that would put our communities, environment and water at risk. It’s time to reject Energy East. [ http://action.environmentaldefence.ca/p ... _KEY=18206 ]

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[Oscar]

Pools of oil kill wildlife

[ http://www.paherald.sk.ca/News/Local/20 ... wildlife/1 ]

Tyler Clarke Published on August 11, 2016

A caution for the City of Prince Albert’s 30-kilometre water pipeline to the South Saskatchewan River is seen at the Rotary Trail near the Diefenbaker bridge.

Only three per cent of water samples exceed safe levels for wildlife

Of the 1,400 water samples taken from more than 60 locations along the North Saskatchewan River, only 3 per cent exceeded safe levels for wildlife.

The few exceedances they have measured are “minor,” Centre for Toxicology and Environmental Health toxicologist Dr. Kelly Scribner reported on Thursday.

“They’re not present over long periods of time,” she said. “We’re seeing them over one day and we’re not seeing them the following day in that one spot.”


= = = = = =


More water tests in the works

[ http://www.paherald.sk.ca/News/Local/20 ... he-works/1 ]

Tyler Clarke Published on August 12, 2016

The City of Prince Albert and Government of Saskatchewan are undertaking independent water tests

Considering only what the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health has told us, the North Saskatchewan River has come out of the oil leak relatively unscathed.

The Husky Energy co-ordinated water tests have revealed zero Canadian drinking water quality guideline exceedances since July 24.

Only three per cent of the 1,400 water samples to come back from their labs thus far have recorded oil-related chemicals exceeding safe levels for wildlife.

Both the City of Prince Albert and Government of Saskatchewan are currently undertaking their own independent tests to see whether their results corroborate with those already released through the Husky Energy-led effort.

[Oscar]

WATER SECURITY AGENCY RELEASES RESULTS OF WATER QUALITY SAMPLING ON NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER

[ http://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/n ... ty-testing ]

Released on August 15, 2016

Today, the Water Security Agency (WSA) released the first results of its ongoing water quality testing on the North Saskatchewan River and Saskatchewan River systems as a result of the Husky oil spill.

The results show no exceedances of the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines or the provincial drinking water standards. However, exceedances were found relative to the Canadian Protection of Aquatic Life Guidelines. One of the samples had an exceedance of toluene, and one sample had an exceedance of pyrene.

This additional sampling will help WSA make an informed decision on when and what is required to turn on the water treatment plant intakes for the communities impacted downstream of the spill site.

WSA is undertaking a water safety assessment to further evaluate water quality in order to reopen the intakes. Specifically, WSA has requested further data from Husky and other agencies involved in the technical working group specific to drinking water quality.

This includes the following components:

•Where is the remaining oil that has not been captured (evaporated off, degraded microbiologically, captured within river bed sediment or elsewhere);
•What form is the oil in, is it a potential risk to the waterworks, and how will it respond or react to various factors such as flooding, or spring break-up conditions;
•What short-term and long-term monitoring program will be required; and
•Will any additional pre-treatment processes have to be considered for the existing water treatment plants.

Upon receiving this information, which is expected in the coming weeks, WSA will evaluate the findings as part of the water safety assessment and make a decision on when the water intakes can be reopened.

In general, the intakes from the North Saskatchewan River will be reopened when:

•There is low risk of oil reappearing in the source water;
•There is a risk of oil appearing but monitoring can detect this and intakes can be shut down prior to oil entering the system (back-up water systems must be in place); and
•Water treatment plants can treat oil that may enter the plant. -30-

For more information, contact:

Felechia Brodie
Water Security Agency
Moose Jaw
Phone: 306-694-3907
Email: felechia.brodie@wsask.ca
Cell: 306-513-7547

[Oscar]

Livestock water supplies still a concern after oil spill

[ http://www.manitobacooperator.ca/daily/ ... e=homepage ]

By Staff Manitoba Cooperator Published: August 12, 2016

While cleanup and water testing continue on the North Saskatchewan River, livestock producers with river access are still advised to find alternate water sources.

Jenifer Heyden, livestock specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in North Battleford, said ministry staffers and Husky Energy did work with a few producers who were having trouble accessing alternate water sources, to “rectify the situation.”

Water samples haven’t exceeded guidelines for agricultural use, but Heyden said livestock producers should follow the recreational water advisory.

On top of its recommendations against swimming and other direct contact, the advisory recommended livestock and pets do not access the water, Heyden said.

The reasoning, she added, is that “if it’s not safe for people, it’s probably not safe for livestock at this point either.”

The Saskatchewan government is also advising people not to eat fish from the North Saskatchewan River.

MORE:

[ http://www.manitobacooperator.ca/daily/ ... e=homepage ]