No agreement reduces the risk of an oil spill in the Great Bear. Except one.

Last June, WWF, Coastal First Nations, and Canadians for the Great Bear wrote to Premier Clark expressing serious concerns about the grave risks posed by the Northern Gateway oil pipeline project. And Premier Clark wrote back.  “The government ultimately believes that the environmental concerns of British Columbians have not been addressed,” she said.  We agreed then.  And nothing has changed.  Today’s framework agreement by British Columbia and Alberta to find ways to transport oil through B.C. does not address the unacceptable risk of a major oil spill in the Great Bear region. There is no ‘world class’ system of spill response that can deal with the risks to our ocean and coast.

A three-part study of oil spill emergency prevention, preparedness, and response (EPPR) commissioned by the Province of BC got lots of attention when it was released recently.  Who can be pleased to learn that only three or four percent of a 10,000-tonne oil spill on the north coast would be recovered after five days?  No one wants to see the magnificent beaches and rocky headlands of BC’s north coast and Alaska’s panhandle smothered in toxic bitumen.
The only agreement that could prevent such a disaster is one that determines—once and for all—that oil pipelines and super oil tankers have no place in the Great Bear Sea.  The risks outweigh the benefits. The Premier seemed to agree. If there ever was a time to hold firm on this position, and the values behind it, that time is now.