Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Call for Oil/Gas Traffic Ban on BC Coast

"The issue has gained prominence mainly because of several proposals
to construct pipelines linking Alberta with the coast at Prince
Rupert or Kitimat. Crude oil from the oil sands would be pumped west
for export, while "condensate" used to thin the thick crude in the
pipeline would be removed and sent back eastward along a parallel pipe."

The Globe and Mail (Canada)
June 25, 2007 Monday
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070625.BCTANKERS25/TP...

MPs call for Northern B.C. oil-tanker ban; Fear of spills could shut
down shipping and drilling in 'voluntary exclusion zone'

SCOTT SUTHERLAND, CP
VICTORIA

Growing interest in routing new oil and gas pipelines to British
Columbia's northern coast has some decades-old fears about oil spills
bubbling to the surface again.

Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn is fuelling those fears with
comments that there is no moratorium on oil-tanker traffic on the
West Coast because nothing was ever written down in the 1970s.

The minister said that doesn't mean an increase in such traffic would
be allowed without oversight.

However, federal and provincial politicians want Ottawa to institute
a full, formal ban on oil tankers in B.C. coastal waters, a move that
is being backed by environmentalists and some first nations.

"There actually is no moratorium for [oil tanker] traffic coming into
the West Coast," Mr. Lunn said.

There is what he called "a voluntary exclusion zone" that
historically has applied to U.S. tankers carrying Alaska oil to
terminals in Washington State through the Strait of Juan de Fuca

The strait separates the United States and the southern tip of
Vancouver Island.

"This is something that was brought in quite a long time ago and is
being respected."

But while denying there is any tanker moratorium, the Vancouver
Island Tory MP said there is a ban on offshore oil and gas
development "that's absolutely clear."

That was not good enough for Denise Savoie, the New Democrat MP for
Victoria.

She presented a motion in the House of Commons calling on Parliament
to reaffirm the moratorium on coastal drilling and to affirm a formal
moratorium on international tanker traffic.

Ms. Savoie's motion seeks to ban international tanker traffic in the
northern B.C. waters of Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen
Charlotte Sound.

Ms. Savoie said she wants parliamentary hearings with public
participation on the issue when MPs return to Ottawa in the fall.

Such a ban would not affect the current shipping of oil and gasoline,
mostly by barge and small tankers, to Vancouver Island and other
parts of the coast.

"British Columbians feel the same way about it today as they did in
the 1970s," said provincial New Democrat Rob Fleming. "They are
opposed."

Mr. Fleming said a ban on both tankers and offshore development has
survived eight prime ministers and nine B.C. premiers.

"What's changed in 30 years? Has the risk to our coastal waters been
reduced?" he asked. "No, the science has not changed. The risk has
not been reduced."

The issue has gained prominence mainly because of several proposals
to construct pipelines linking Alberta with the coast at Prince
Rupert or Kitimat. Crude oil from the oil sands would be pumped west
for export, while "condensate" used to thin the thick crude in the
pipeline would be removed and sent back eastward along a parallel pipe.

There is also a proposal that could see a liquefied natural-gas
terminal built in Kitimat to accept cheap gas from Asia for
distribution to North American markets.

"There's lots of talk and people trying to raise an issue, but there
is nothing on the table at this point in time," said Mr. Lunn,
reiterating that the Canadian government has not even been asked to
consider any project so far.

If a proposal should come forward, he said, it would have to involve
a comprehensive environmental evaluation, an assessment by Transport
Canada and public consultation.

Environmentalists and first nations say any one of these schemes
would inevitably lead to a high volume of tanker traffic through
extremely sensitive coastal waters, including the channel where B.C.
Ferries' Queen of the North sank.

Mr. Lunn's denial of the existence of a tanker moratorium exasperates
long time anti-tanker crusader and former federal environment
minister David Anderson.

"It doesn't make logical sense to say we did not commit to keeping
tankers off the coast," said Mr. Anderson, the retired Victoria
Liberal MP. "That is basically wrong. We did!"

The United States went to great lengths, and great expense, to route
tankers bound from Alaska well away from Canadian waters, he said.

"Why would they have done all that to protect the Canadian shore
unless Canadians were willing to do the same to protect their own
coast? I mean, it just doesn't make sense."

He warned that if Canada were to permit tankers to enter B.C.'s
northern waters, there would be an immediate call to increase oil
exports though Vancouver.

Mr. Anderson, who fought the tanker issue in U.S. federal court in
the 70s and won, is worried about the message Mr. Lunn and the Harper
government would be sending to the Americans if Canada does anything
that deviates from a policy that for decades has kept tanker traffic
to a minimum.

"I don't think it's good news to give Americans cause to say Canada
acts in bad faith," he warned. "If you are dealing with Americans,
you should be pretty straight forward and honour your agreements."

Ironically, Mr. Anderson said, it was the tanker ban that was the
catalyst for the companion moratorium on offshore oil development
that is still being acknowledged by the federal Conservatives.

"If they succeed in allowing oil tankers along the coast, it brings
us much closer to lifting the moratorium on oil and gas exploration
and drilling once the means of transporting oil is established," said
Ken Wu of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, a group that has
campaigned to keep the ban in place since the B.C. Liberals came to
power.

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