We wanted to take a few minutes to inform you about some concerns we
have regarding a new project being proposed that could seriously
impact Bates and Cass Counties. The project is a proposed pipeline
expansion by the energy company, Enbridge, to link up oil fields in
the Tar Sands region of Northern Canada down to the Gulf of Mexico.
Enbridge calls it proposal the Flanagan South Pipeline.
Our main concern with this project is with the possible impacts on
water quality and the public health. The proposed pipeline route
crosses the South Grand River just North of Archie, within one mile of
the City of Archie’s water intake pump on the Grand. Adrian’s water
intake pump is another mile downriver. Clearly, a pipeline spill in
this vicinity would be damaging to both communities and to the many
farmers and rural residents that share water with these towns through
our rural water districts.
We’ve been talking with experts and attempting to determine the risks
of such a spill. It turns out that spill risks are very high because
the substance that would be coming through the pipeline is highly
toxic, corrosive, abrasive and condusive to spills. The pipeline would
be carrying diluted bitumen. Bitumen is a tar-like substance that has
various chemicals and hydrocarbons added to it so that it will flow
through pipelines. The industry refers to the substance as “dilbit”.
Here’s some of our main concerns:
Dilbit contains benzene, mixed hydrocarbons and n-hexane. All three
are toxins that can affect the human brain and central nervous system.
Dilbit contains hydrogen sulfide gas. Hydrogen sulfide can cause
suffocation in humans in concentrations over 100 parts per million.
This is a serious risk to workers breathing in vapors from the
chemical mixture.
Dilbit contains many toxic heavy metals that do not break down in the
environment. Vanadium, nickel, arsenic and other heavy metals can
accumulate and cause toxicity in plants, wildlife and people.
Dilbit’s characteristics make it very different than conventional
petroleum, therefore it operates very differently than does
conventional oil as it flows through the pipeline. Dilbit has much
higher acidity, viscosity, sulfur content, pipeline temperature and
pipeline pressure than do conventional oil pipelines. Dilbit also
contains higher rates of flow per second of quartz and silicates than
do commercial sand blasters. These factors create concerns regarding
pipeline spill risks.
Dilbit does not float when it spills into water like conventional oil.
Dilbit sinks, making surface water containment strategies ineffective.
Despite industry promises of safety and pipeline integrity, spills
happen often. In fact, there are more than 100 petrochemical pipeline
spills every year flowing toxic poisons into our forests, fields,
waterways and communities.
If you’ve read or heard about the recent dilbit spill in Mayflower,
Arkansas, or the destructive pipeline burst along the Kalamazoo River
in Michigan a couple of summers ago, both spills were pipeline
ruptures involving dilbit. Unfortunately, as we’ve been researching
this issue, we’ve discovered that dilbit is already flowing through an
existing 60-year old pipeline in the region, and possibly others. Tar
sand oil (again, that’s dilbit) appears to be most likely to burst
through the pipes on aging lines. We feel like it’s necessary to raise
this issue so more citizens are informed about the possible damage
that could come as the oil industry expands throughout West Missouri.
To top of the risks of the pipeline operations, there is very little
legislation or regulatory framework that we’ve found that addresses
these concerns. Pipeline development and operations, contrary to the
popular imagination, is exempt from most national and local
environmental standards. In fact, the oversight body for their
operations is the National Transportation and Safety Board. Even with
a project this large in size, there is not a required Environmental
Impact Statement, EPA permit or Missouri Department of Natural
Resources review.
So please take the time to inform yourself on this important community
issue. As concerned citizens of our region who support every attempt
to improve and protect our public water system, we will continue to
monitor the project and share information as the proposed project
progresses. Please contact us if you have questions or would like to
discuss this issue. Thank you for your time and consideration.
COURTESY OF:
Danny Ferguson,
Member, Adrian City Council
dan@adrianmo.comBryce Oates
Yellabird Farm, Adrian, MO
bryceoates@gmail.com
