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North Atlantic right whale breaching in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, May 2009. (Image courtesy of New Bedford Whaling Museum)
TransCanada Corp.’s (TSX:TRP) proposed Energy East Pipeline may hurt whales and some fisheries in Canada’s Bay of Fundy, a report from the Conservation Council of New Brunswick says.
According to the study, noise from tanker traffic causes heightened levels of stress for the North Atlantic right whale, the world’s most endangered large whale, as it hinders the mammal’s ability to communicate.
“Right whales form social groups while in the Bay of Fundy, an important part of their life cycle, relying on their ability to communicate to form these groups,” the report by the council’s Matthew Abbott said.
But Tim Duboyce, Energy East spokesman for TransCanada said the council is just trying to duplicate concerns that ended up causing TransCanada to cancel plans for an export terminal in Cacouna, Quebec.
He added that certain facts, such as whales locations and numbers, are “overlooked or exaggerated.”
The 22-page report also argues that the Bay of Fundy’s world-famous tides and thick fog would make it difficult to clean up oil spills quickly. (Image courtesy of BayofFundy.com)
TransCanada’s proposal is to convert one of its existing natural-gas pipelines into a 4,600-kilometre oil pipeline — dubbed Energy East — that would carry 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day from Hardisty, Alberta, to Saint John, New Brunswick. From there, crude would either be exported through a terminal co-owned by TransCanada and Irving Oil Ltd., or refined at Irving’s refinery.
The company insists that the proposed export terminal is not in the whales critical habitat, which makes “a huge difference,” he told CBC News:
“The shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy were already moved out of the critical habitat of right whales about 10 years ago, and since then, there hasn’t been a single reported ship strike and whale populations have increased.”
The 22-page report also argues that the Bay of Fundy’s world-famous tides and thick fog would make it difficult to clean up oil spills quickly.
The council’s document makes a number of recommendations, including that the federal Fisheries Department conduct an assessment of marine traffic noise in the Bay of Fundy to determine its impact and the potential impact of increased traffic noise on whales and other marine life.
Proposed route.
4 Comments
Mike Ellingson
I see this as an attempt to stop all oil flow from Alberta.
patentbs
That is true Mike. There are many groups and individuals who benefit directly from stopping the development of the nation (not just Alberta) While I respect the environment and development of response plans we have to make a decision about our own self interest and the growth of the nation. I would prefer that decision be based on fact and not alarmism for profit.
A.M. Landau
As a Quebecer it is important to ensure a near fail proof system with sufficient shut off valves across the country and enforce a minimum reserve requirement on Trans Canada corp’s behalf if in the event there is a rupture. The findings in the report are a farce since it does not factor in the marginal difference in tanker traffic that this would cause. Refineries are importing brent crude by ship already so the real impact is less exaggerated.
With the rout in oil, especially western select, Canada should use this opportunity to hire workers across the provinces who were laid off due to crude oil’s downturn and develop Canada’s pipeline. While at it, there should be a few more Canadian refineries to upgrade Bitumen to fuel grade and reduce mercantilism, especially with the USD trading so strong and most likely through 2016. It’s a joke when gas prices in montreal average $1.17 litre with $39 crude oil. ($52 Cad/ barrel). Adding a refinery in Ontario, QC and NB with a standard capacity could make the refined products of oil drop in price with a little competition. Case and point: Spend a bit more per kilometer on piping, to reduce the risk of spillage and give those laborers/eic who were laid off due to the downturn in oil a chance to work while the world markets correct themselves and, inevitably bring back $60 a barrel crude oil.
Kyle Hehn
Just get Canadian oil out to the markets, particular the European markets, give the world a choice to venture away from corrupt, human right violators, and regime governments.