Feb. 12 was the last day to apply for intervener status for the National Energy Board (NEB) hearing on the proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline. With the hearing looming, some Jasper residents are raising questions about the safety of the project.
The Trans Mountain Pipeline has been in operation since 1953, and stretches from Strathcona County, near Edmonton, to Burnaby, B.C. It runs directly through Jasper National Park. Last December, Kinder Morgan, the company that operates the pipeline, submitted an application to the regulator to twin its entire 1,150 km length.
The proposed expansion would see about 980 km of new pipeline built. Jasper鈥檚 line was twinned in 2008, so there would be minimal construction in the park, but the project would mean reactivating 150 kilometres of 60-year-old pipeline.
It is the reactivation of that old section of pipeline that has residents like Art Jackson particularly concerned.
鈥淎 lot of people in town I don鈥檛 think even realize the 60-year-old line [will be] used, or is still there,鈥� Jackson said in a phone interview last week.
Jackson is worried that the age of the pipeline, as well as the fact that it鈥檚 been sitting unused for years, means an even greater chance of a major failure in the line, with disastrous consequences.
While NEB representative Sarah Kiley explained 鈥渢he age of a pipeline is not the best indicator of pipeline safety,鈥� she said over time protective pipeline coatings can become damaged, increasing the threat of corrosion.
She added that 鈥済reater vigilance is clearly required with any older infrastructure. However, when pipelines are properly operated, inspected, and maintained to Canadian standards, older pipe does not present a greater safety risk than new pipe.鈥�
Trans Mountain was unable to respond to questions about the safety of the old pipeline by press time, but its application to the NEB contained detailed information on its proposed reactivation.
According to the application, the company ran tests for corrosion and cracking prior to the line鈥檚 deactivation, and should their application go through they will repair some sections flagged in those tests.
The application also states that the pipe was filled with nitrogen during its period of inactivity, which prevents corrosion and keeps internal pressure acceptable.
鈥淭he operating conditions of the reactivated pipeline are expected to be similar to what they were prior to deactivation,鈥� the application states.
While ideally an older pipeline may be just as safe as a new one, Jackson wondered how reality will match up to the ideal. He pointed out that it only takes one disaster to cripple the protected ecosystem of Jasper National Park, and in turn, the economy of the Municipality of Jasper.
鈥淎 reopening of these old pipes for pumping toxic bitumen flow to our coastal waters would only need one break/spill from the 60-year-old system, crossing our national park, to have dramatic impacts on our town, citizens and all the other life forms living in this national park,鈥� he wrote in an email to members of municipal council.
Jackson pointed out that municipalities like Vancouver, Victoria and Burnaby have officially spoken out against the expansion, and, in light of the potential for disaster, called on the Municipality of Jasper to apply as an intervener at the NEB hearing.
In an interview Feb. 6, Mayor Richard Ireland acknowledged Jackson鈥檚 concerns, but said the municipality will not apply as an intervener.
He said council members have met with Parks Canada and decided Parks is in a better position to represent the interests of Jasperites. The main reason, being that council doesn鈥檛 have the resources to make a meaningful contribution.
He pointed out that two weeks ago council received 15,000 pages of information from Kinder Morgan relating to the expansion project.
He said that since no one at the municipality has expertise in pipeline management, it is 鈥渦nrealistic to expect council to sort all that out,鈥� and were it to try, outside expertise would have to be retained.
鈥淭here will be those who think that the town should make a statement, but for us鈥攖o a large extent鈥攊t鈥檚 separating the political statement from the meaningful intervener status.
鈥淵es we could make a political statement, but we would rather have this thing meaningfully discussed at the board鈥攁nd we think the best opportunity to do that is to align ourselves with Parks Canada,鈥� he said.
He said council will help Parks Canada in any way it asks, and since 鈥渙ur interests are perfectly aligned on the issue,鈥� there is really no need for separate interveners.
Shelley Bird of Parks Canada explained the organization has applied for intervener status, but had very little information beyond that.
鈥淧articipation in this process will be determined based on the outcome of the application for intervener status and will involve a combination of national and local knowledge and expertise,鈥� she wrote in an email, adding that it鈥檚 鈥渢oo early in the process鈥� to go into any more detail. She had no comment on the municipality鈥檚 involvement.
Jackson said he is unhappy with the municipality鈥檚 response, especially in light of other municipalities standing up for their citizens鈥� voices.
鈥淚 think [the municipal council] need to reevaluate what the citizens are demanding of them,鈥� he said.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 stand up and say something鈥攁nd start asking for and demanding accountability鈥攖hen we鈥檙e just going to be given the end product.鈥�
聽Trevor Nichols
[email protected]
