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
Islands Trust Area • Established in 1974 • 5,200 km 2 • 13 major and 450 smaller islands • 25,000 residents
Existing Shipping Lanes
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. Plumper Sound Incidents 1. Hebei Lion (November 2009) 2. Pacific Ace (January 2010) 3. Cape Vanguard (March 2011)
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 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” "Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"
Unconventional Oil Concerns • Extreme clean-up challenges • Heavier and stickier than most conventional oils • How will dil-bit products behave in the marine environment?
Islands Trust Oil Spill Advocacy 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” "Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"
“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
Report of the Canadian Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development “Gaps found in audits indicate that environmental protection may not be keeping pace with resource development.” -- Scott Vaughn Commissioner Fall 2012 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 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) "Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, www.islandstrust.bc.ca “advocacy” Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"
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 Urged federal government phase-out of 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” "Map of the Salish Sea & Surrounding Basin, Stefan Freelan, WWU, 2009"
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