Islands Trust Council Concerns: Oil Spill Response & Oil Tanker - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Islands Trust Council Concerns: Oil Spill Response & Oil Tanker Expansion

Salish Sea Shorelines At Risk

North Pender Island, April 19, 2014 Sheila Malcolmson, Islands Trust Council Chair

• Established in 1974
• 5,200 km2
• 13 major and 450

smaller islands

• 25,000 residents

Islands Trust Area

Existing Shipping Lanes

Plumper Sound Incidents

• 1. Hebei Lion (November 2009)
• 2. Pacific Ace (January 2010)
• 3. Cape Vanguard (March 2011)

2009 averted oil spill renews Islands Trust concern

“..damage to fuel tanks on a cargo

ship that size could have oiled the islands on both sides of the border”

Dale Jensen, Manager of the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Spill Prevention, Preparedness and Response, after the bulk carrier “Hebei Lion” grounded in Plumper Sound in Nov 2009.

Near disaster – again!

Bulkcarrier Cape Vanguard 2011

Islands Trust Council asked: What led to these incidents? Are we ready for worst case scenario?

MarineTraffic.com

Busy and Getting Busier

Container vessel traffic in Canada’s Pacific Gateway predicted to:

• Double by 2021-2026
• Nearly triple by 2030

Also growing:

• Crude oil tanker and

barge traffic

• Cruise ship traffic
• Bulk carrier traffic

Image: pacificgateway.gov.bc.ca/

Kinder Morgan pipeline

Islands Trust Oil Spill Advocacy

"Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"

Opposed in principle oil pipeline projects that lead to the expansion of oil export by barge and tanker from Canada’s west coast because the projects increase the risk of oil spills in BC’s marine environment (2012)

www.islandstrust.bc.ca “advocacy”

Unconventional Oil Concerns

• Extreme clean-up

challenges

• Heavier and stickier

than most conventional

• ils
• How will dil-bit

products behave in the marine environment?

Islands Trust Oil Spill Advocacy

"Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"

• 1. Implored federal

government to study how bitumen will react in marine waters and

• 2. Study whether bitumen

spill response is adequate (2011)

www.islandstrust.bc.ca “advocacy”

“Every day, on average, at least one oil spill is reported to the Canadian Coast Guard.. Fortunately, most are

• small. However, given the

findings of this audit, I am troubled that the government is not ready to respond to a major spill.”

Scott Vaughan, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development December 7, 2010

“Gaps found in audits indicate that environmental protection may not be keeping pace with resource development.”

• - Scott Vaughn

Commissioner Fall 2012

Report of the Canadian Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_201212_00_e_37709.html

Tanker Safety Expert Panel December 2013 report

• Waters around the southern tip of

Vancouver Island are one of four areas in Canada with the highest probability of a large spill

• Southern coast of BC, incl Vancouver

Island, is one of two areas in Canada with the highest potential impact from a spill (from a recent risk assessment completed for Transport Canada by

GENIVAR)

Islands Trust Oil Spill Advocacy

"Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"

San Juan County & Islands Trust Council expressed extreme concern about marine shipping’s oil spill risks & the poor state of readiness to respond to a major spill in the Salish Sea & advocated for compatible, world-class maritime safety and oil spill related regulations on both sides of the border (2010)

www.islandstrust.bc.ca “advocacy”

Washington & Alaska vs BC: Spill response and preparedness resources

*Based on 2011 data

*Based on 2011 data

*Based on 2011 data

Prince William Sound response

Islands Trust Oil Spill Advocacy

"Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"

Urged federal government phase-out

• f crude oil export from

Canada’s West Coast by tanker and barge as part of a Canadian national energy strategy (2012)

www.islandstrust.bc.ca “advocacy”