Students speak out to protect Great Bear Region from Northern Gateway Pipeline

To Whom it May Concern,
I believe that the Great Bear Sea is no place for an oil pipeline. My first point being the risk to the pipeline and oil tankers as well as the potential damage to wildlife and ecosystems which is only emphasized by the recent Gulf oil spill and the not so long ago spill of the Exxon Valdez, which wreaked havoc on the surrounding ecosystems and continues to do so. My second point is that habitat fragmentation resulting from the construction of roads, highways, and railways, including the spread of urbanization have already isolated many populations of species, thus decreasing biodiversity. There is no doubt that pipeline construction and the pipeline itself will also contribute to this. Furthermore I believe we should be moving towards more cleaner and renewable sources of energy today, especially in the face of global crisis such as climate change. Canada around the world is known for its pristine ecosystems and amazing wildlife. I have experienced this amazing diversity for myself and take pride as a Canadian to live in such a wonderful country. To have that taken away or negatively impacted would have disastrous implications towards the health of the local ecological community and the reputation of Canada as a leader among nations for environmental protection.

A Kermode bear (Ursus americanus kermodei) preparing to enter the water of a river in the Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada. © Natalie Bowes / WWF-Canada

 
One of the points I mentioned above concerns the danger from natural disasters including landslides, avalanches, earthquakes, and tsunamis that the planned pipeline and oil tankers might be subjected to. The risks are too high to ignore or to be taken lightly. I fail to see how many of the preventative tactics outlined by Enbridge will help to prevent an oil spill from occurring, especially in the face of such powerful forces such as earthquakes or tsunamis which the British
Columbia region is especially prone to. To top it off accidents do happen, 80 with Enbridge just last year. It is almost a guarantee that accidents will occur with this pipeline. How does the company plan on meeting the standards imposed by this even more dangerous region? The region where the pipeline will be built also crosses one of the last coastal rainforests in the world which supports many rare and unique species of animals, including trees over a thousand years old. The spirit bear for instance, is a rare type of black bear with white fur and is found only in this region. The Pacific Ocean supports many species of marine life such as fish which in turn support the livelihoods of many people and interacts in harmony with the land ecosystem. Many of these marine species are already under massive pressure from threats like overfishing and pollution. Additionally, if a spill were to occur, the impacts would be devastating for both land and sea, resulting in a collapse of the fishing industry similar to the one of the cod industry in the Atlantic.
The second point I mentioned is with regards to the fragmentation of animal habitat the pipeline will be causing. Many inland species like the grizzly bear are already under significant pressure and living in fragmented populations from the creation of roads, highways, railways, and the spread of urbanization. The implantation of a pipeline in that area will only further fragment existing populations, resulting in higher rates of disease, an increased vulnerability to predators, the inability to reach feeding and breeding sites, and eventually the extinction of entire species. A decrease in biodiversity not only affects a particular species but an entire ecosystem as a whole. It reduces an ecosystem’s efficiency and its ability to adapt to abrupt environmental change.
My final point concerns the urgency of switching to cleaner sources of energy. I understand that Enbridge has begun to take interest in renewable energy projects and I congratulate the company on their good insight. Renewable energy is a growing industry that will ensure the future survival and growth of the company as oil stocks will become depleted. However, the tar sands are known for their dirty oil which will only accelerate other global crises like climate change and pollution and I’m not sure how such toxic oil could ever be referred to as “ethical”. I understand the need and importance of job creation and profit but still believe that the money being put into this project would ultimately benefit the company and Canadian citizens more if it were to be invested into more renewable resource projects. Investing in renewable energy projects of the same magnitude would also generate a large amount of jobs.
In conclusion I would like to once again make known my aversion to the project because of the danger to the pipeline and wildlife in the region, habitat fragmentation that will be caused by the pipeline, and the importance of moving towards a more sustainable future with renewable sources of energy. I hope to see that the Government of Canada will put the environment on an equal basis as business, because when a catastrophe happens, it will be the Canadian citizens who will have to pay for it.
Sincerely,
Joel Makkappallil