Thursday January 5 2012 | fraservalleydaily
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12 Climate.
KEYSTONE ‘WHISTLEBLOWER’ ALLEGES SHODDY MATERIALS ALONG ORIGINAL PIPELINE WASHINGTON (Canadian Press)
A former inspector for a company that did work on TransCanada’s original Keystone pipeline is accusing the Calgary-based company of a cavalier disregard for the environment. Mike Klink was an engineer for construction company Bechtel Corp., a contractor that worked on the first portion of the Keystone pipeline that carries Alberta oilsands crude to refineries in the American Midwest. It was completed in 2010; the controversial Keystone XL would extend that pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries. In an opinion piece published over the weekend in
Welcome back | The return of grey wolves has dramatically altered the landscape in portions of Yellowstone National Park, as new trees take root in areas where the predators have curbed the size of foraging elk herds, a new study reports. Nebraska’s Lincoln Journal Star, the 59-year-old Klink says he raised a series of concerns about alleged sub-standard materials and poor craftsmanship along the pipeline. Klink says he was fired by Bechtel as a result, and filed a federal complaint about his dismissal in 2010. TransCanada spokesman Terry Cunha disputed Klink’s assertions, saying he “appears to have made a number of allegations against his previous employer and others, none of which have been proven.” Klink says, however, that he noticed substandard building materials, construction methods and safety standards as he inspected the pipeline. “Cheap foreign steel that cracked when workers tried to weld it, foundations for pump stations that you would never consider using in your own home, fudged safety tests, Bechtel staffers explaining away leaks during pressure tests ASSOCIATED PRESS as ‘not too bad,’ shortcuts on the steel and rebar that are A former inspector for a company that did work on essential for safe pipeline operation and siting of facilities TransCanada’s original Keystone pipeline is alleging on completely inappropriate spots like wetlands,” he wrote. the company cut corners as it laid down the pipe.