Page 16 tuesday, SEPTEMBER 24, 2013
daily townsman / daily bulletin
NEWS
CN eyeing oil-by-rail from Alberta to Prince Rupert Bruce Cheadle Canadian Press
OTTAWA — CN Rail, at the urging of Chinese-owned Nexen Inc., is considering shipping Alberta bitumen to Prince Rupert, B.C., by rail in quantities matching the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline, documents show. Internal memos obtained by Greenpeace under the Access to Information Act show the rail carrier raised the proposal last March with Natural Resources Canada. “Nexen Inc. is reportedly working with CN to examine the transportation of crude oil on CN’s railway to Prince Rupert, B.C., to be loaded onto tankers for export to Asia,’’ states a departmental briefing note setting up the March 1 meeting. An attached CN presentation paper notes that “CN has ample capacity to run seven trains per day to match Gateway’s proposed capacity.’’ CN is denying it has made a specific proposal for Prince Rupert but says it will consider any such project as it comes up. Greenpeace provided the documents to The Canadian Press. The proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, which would carry crude oil to Kitimat, B.C., has met fierce opposition from First Nations and environmentalists. Greenpeace researcher Keith Stewart said the CN rail pitch has the appearance of a “Plan B’’ in case Northern Gateway is blocked, but that it raises “the same or greater risks.’’ The horrific Lac-Megantic, Que., disaster in July, which claimed 47 lives when a train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded, has focused intense scrutiny on the burgeoning oilby-rail industry. Some 5.5 million litres of oil either burned
or leaked into the environment in Lac-Megantic. The fire burned for four days. A spokesman for CN Rail told The Canadian Press in an email that “no specific crude-byrail project to Prince Rupert (was) discussed’’ at the March meeting with Natural Resources Canada. The company “does not disclose publicly its commercial discussions with customers,’’ Mark Hallman said in the email. “CN will continue to explore new opportunities to move crude oil safely and efficiently to markets,’’ Hallman wrote. “The company will consider concrete crude-by-rail proposals, including any specific project to move crude to Prince Rupert. However, there is no infrastructure in place at Prince Rupert to transfer crude oil from train tank cars to vessels.’’ The documents obtained by Greenpeace show Ottawa was intensely interested in oil by rail, at least prior to the Quebec accident. “NRCan is currently meeting with Transport Canada to mutually understand how rail could be part of a solution to current market access challenges,’’ says an undated memorandum for Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver. The memo describes rail as “an increasingly viable option’’ and states that carriers Canadian Pacific and CN “have indicated that the potential to increase rail movements of crude oil is theoretically unlimited.’’ Rail officials had indicated that a project to bring crude to port for tanker export “is likely in future.’’ A separate memo for International Trade Minister Ed Fast and Dennis Lebel, then the transport minister, assets that Transport Canada “has identified no
FuN for the whole family!
major safety concerns with the increased oil on rail capacity in Canada, nor with the safety of tank cars ...’’ The memo states that “transportation of oil by rail does not trigger the need for a federal environmental assessment’’ but notes that “proposals to construct new infrastructure to support the activity’’ may require an assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. The “Departmental
Position’’ on oil by rail is entirely blacked out from the memo. Greenpeace’s Stewart said the Lac-Megantic tragedy revealed that federal safety regulations hadn’t kept pace with the oil-by-rail boom. “If the government or industry imagines they can use these regulatory loopholes to do an endrun around opposition to tar sands moving through those lands or waters, they will be in for a rude awakening,’’ said Stewart.
CN Rail is considering shipping Alberta bitumen to Prince Rupert by rail, documents show.
Regional District of East Kootenay
You Are Invited! AREA E
AREA C
Wednesday, October 25, 2013 - 7:00pm Wasa Community Hall
Monday, September 30, 2013 – 7:00pm Steeplesview Community Hall
7:00pm - 7:30pm - Volunteer of the Year Presentation
7:00pm - 8:45pm - Town Hall Meeting
Please join us as we recognize Area E Volunteers of the Year Orlena and Hugh Campbell for all of their volunteer efforts. Refreshments & cake will be served.
This meeting will feature a Director’s Report from Area C Director Rob Gay, information on the East Kootenay Energy Diet and an introductory presentation on a proposed land use planning project for the Mayook and Wardner areas.
7:30pm - 8:45pm - Town Hall Meeting
Additional Area C Town Hall meetings will be held in Moyie & Cranbrook in early October.
The Town Hall meeting will include an update from Director Jane Walter and staff on the Financial Plan, Mosquito Control, and more.
We hope to see you there!
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Baynes Lake Fuel Treatment Program 2013 The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) invites proposals on two blocks that are proposed for fuel treatment with a total area of 52.1 Ha. The proposed treatment involves mastication in preparation for a prescribed burn. Work must be completed by May 1, 2014. The goal of the treatment is to protect the community from wildfire. SEALED ENVELOPES marked, “Regional District of East Kootenay - Baynes Lake Operational Fuel Treatment 2013.09 Price Offer” will be received by the Emergency Services Coordinator, Regional District of East Kootenay, 19 – 24th Avenue South, Cranbrook BC V1C 3H8 until 2:00 pm local time on October 11, 2013. Please quote title in subject line if sending by email to mmunro@rdek.bc.ca. The Request for Proposal packages may be obtained as of September 13, 2013 from the Cranbrook RDEK office during regular office hours (8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday) and are available online at www.rdek.bc.ca or on BC Bid’s website. A site meeting and field tour is mandatory and will be held Friday, September 27, 2013 at 9:00 am. The meeting will be held at the intersection of Jaffray-Baynes Lake Road and Sweet Road. Those planning to attend the meeting must submit an RFP receipt confirmation form, which is located in the tender package. The Regional District reserves the right to arbitrarily accept or reject any or all bids and to waive irregularities at its own discretion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing the Regional District reserves the right to arbitrarily reject any bid submitted by a contractor that has a disputed account against or due by the Regional District or against whom the Regional District has a disputed account. The lowest or any bid will not necessarily be accepted and the Regional District reserves the right to negotiate terms and conditions with the successful Bidder. Melody Munro, RDEK Emergency Services Coordinator
KIMBERLEY COMMUNITY
FAIR
19 - 24th Avenue South, Cranbrook BC V1C 3H8 Phone: 250-489-2791 Toll Free: 1-888-478-7335 Email: info@rdek.bc.ca Website: www.rdek.bc.ca
12 BOOTHS LEFT- $150.00 same price for 5 years. 2 corner booths available 175.00 — will sell right till the end!! High attendance numbers, fun for the whole family!
MARYSVILLE ARENA Saturday Sept. 28, 10-6 Sunday Sept. 29,11-4
Call Bev 250-427-7876 or email 1bev@live.com