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THE INTERIOR NEWS 105th th Year - Week 34
Smithers,, B.C.
Wednesday, y, August g 22,, 2012
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Black pushes for refinery in Kitimat Local First Nations leaders, politician unmoved by proposal
RODEO ROYALTY Smithers crowns firstever rodeo queen
By Percy N. Hébert
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Smithers Interior News
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SUPERSOAKER BLAST Tosh Krauskopf was one of many children who made their way to the Bulkley Valley Regional Pool to duke it out with the Smithers Volunteer Fire Department. Percy N. Hébert photo
David Black, chairman and owner of Black Press, announced Friday he’s submitting an environmental assessment application to build a world-scale oil refinery at Kitimat BC. The plan, Black said, is to build a refinery in Kitimat to process bitumen delivered by the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline. “We want it [refinery] to be the cleanest and greenest upgrading and refining site in the world,” Black said. For local leaders a refinery in Kitimat to process bitumen coming from the Alberta tar sands appears secondary to the issue of the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline. “We don’t support Enbridge,” Gitxsan Hereditary Chief Gwaans (Beverley Clifton Percival) said. Wet’suwet’sen Hereditary Chief Namox (John Risdale) was also of the opinion that Black’s proposal missed the mark. “It’s still crude oil coming through our territory, it’s still the same risks as before. “We’re still adamantly opposed to this project. “If you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.” Risdale also noted the Wet’suwet’sen felt a stong responsibility for the health and well being of all British Columbians and their main concern was and remains the proposed pipeline that would go
through Wet’suwet’sen territory. “How can we be put in a position where we would threaten other nations,” he said. “The onus and the responsibility lies with the Wet’suwet’en.” The environmental assessment application for the refinery will be made on behalf of Kitimat Clean Ltd, a company owned by Black, who described himself as a quiet environmentalist. Thus far, Black has been unable to secure backing from major players in the oil industry, including Enbridge. Black said he will be dipping into his own pockets to cover the costs of the B.C. environmental assessment. Doug Donaldson, MLA for Stikine, was impressed with Black’s proposal, calling it an ambitious notion, but expressed some reservations. “Without partners for a $13 billion project and without First Nations consultation, to me the proposal is simply a notion,” Donaldson said. As with the First Nations leaders, Donaldson also noted the refinery doesn’t deal with the fundamental problem, the pipeline. and the risk of a potential bitumen oil spill. “That would have a catastrophic effect on our environment and the economy,” Donaldson said. The proposed refinery has the capacity to process 550,000 barrels/day of dilbit, a mixture of condensate diluent and bitumen). See JOBS on p. A2
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