Call for more oil spill research not a delaying tactic, says B.C. NDP

The B.C. NDPcontinues to reject suggestions that its call for more research into a diluted biutmen spill is anattempt to delaythe expansion of the Kinder MorganTrans-Mountain.

"Not at all," saidB.C.EnvironmentMinister GeorgeHeymanduring an interview on CBC's The Early Edition.

"We're protecting B.C.'s interests."

B.C. Premier John Horgan isn't backing down afterB.C. proposed to restrict any increase in diluted bitumen shipments while it conducts more spill response studies, despite a growing trade dispute with Alberta and the threatof lawsuits.

His government maintains that more consultation and study is needed to understand the risks of a spill.

But the president of Kinder Morgan Canada, Ian Anderson, disagrees.

Anderson said environmental considerations are first and foremost for the pipeline, and the organization has been conducting studies into its safety for more than three years.

"We don't believe any further work beyond what has already been done or contemplated is necessary at this point," he said.

However,Heyman said further work is indeed required largely research into the how spilled bitumen "behaves."

"There's a lack of knowledge identified by the Royal Society of Canada in a number of areas," said Heyman.

He said those lacking areas include how bitumen reacts to different weatherconditions and water temperatures, whether it sinks when mixed with sediment, how it can be transported safely and how it can be cleaned up effectively after a spill.

Behaviour of bitumen

Heather Dettman, aNatural Resources Canadascientist basedin Alberta,spent the last five years studying the behaviour of bitumen.

She concluded that the density ofspilleddiluted bitumen stays lower than that of salt water so it floats.

"Just like a vinaigrette," said Dettman.

Her research also found that the bitumen does sink after about three weeks.

"If it's floating for three weeks then there's plenty of time to be getting at it and cleaning it up," she said.

But despite past studies,Heymansaid the B.C. NDP isn't alone in wanting more research into the issue.

He pointed to the federal government investing $80 million into ocean protection in December of last year with $45 million earmarked for amulti-partner oil spill research initiative.

"If we already have the knowledge, why is the federal government spending more than $45 million to answer those questions?" said Heyman.

The Western Canada Marine Response Corporation istasked with responding to oil spills offB.C.'s coast. The corporation isfunded by the shipping and oil industry.

They say they learned valuable lessons from the Kinder Morgan bitumen spill in Burnaby, B.C., in 2007.

"We actually do have concrete real world experience with bitumen. We do know our existing equipment can work and does work cleaning up that particular product," saidMichael Lowry, the corporation's communication manager.

Despite the corporation's assurances, Heyman said there are too many parties still asking questions about bitumen for the provincial government to move forward on the pipeline responsibly.

"We're not going to risk our coastline,the tens of thousands of jobs that depend on a clean coastline and a clean environment."

"I think British Columbians want to know that their government took every step possible to find the knowledge we need to say 'if this product is going to go through British Columbia, we're not going to have a catastrophe,'" said Heyman.

There can't be certainty in anyone's ability to mitigate an oil spill off the coast until a scientific panel is set up by the province to conduct further research, he added.

With files from The Early Edition