200 to 250 thousand liters of oil leaking into North Saskatchewan River

Between 200,000 and 250,000 liters of crude oil and other material from a breach in a Husky Energy oil pipeline near Maidstone Saskatchewan leaked into the North Saskatchewan River.

The crude oil and other material leaked into the river on Thursday upstream from a breach in Husky Energy’s pipeline near Maidstone, Sask. Maidstone is about 84 kilometers west of North Battleford. North Battleford saw signs of the spill early Friday morning and shut down its water intake from the river. The town has a ground water supply as well. The company had shut down the line and put out booms across the North Saskatchewan River about 40 kilometers upstream from North Battleford.
An anonymous Saskatchewan government official said that the oil was getting past the booms as it was lifted above them by high water levels.
Prince Albert, a city of about 35,000 people a considerable ways down from the spill is already planning to treat storm pond water as a backup as the oil lead advances towards it. Sam Ferris with the Saskatchewan water security agency said that most of Prince Albert's water came from the river. Staff are getting ready to shut down the intakes when oil begins to appear in the river. Water treated from other sources would last about a week he said. He said: “At this time, we don’t think the plume is going to reach Prince Albert for some time, likely not before sometime later Sunday or early Monday.” The city issued a statement on late Friday that urged residents to fill bathtubs and water jugs with water over the next day.
Wes Kotyk of the Saskatchewan government environmental protection plan told media that Environment Canada is working on a model as to when communities can expect the oil to pass and how long it will take to pass through but the calculations are made more difficult due to recent rains adding to the amount of water in the river. Kotyk said that the first group of containment booms had been damaged due to debris coming downstream from recent rains. The rain made the water turbid as well and would make it more difficult to remove the oil. He said: “The water is quite dirty with suspended particulates and whatnot, and in some cases you can get oil attached to those particulates.If you run into these semi-floating blobs of mud and oil, that can be more problematic.”
There is as yet no word as to what caused the leak or the size of the breach. Husky having shut down the pipeline is more worried about making sure the cleanup works out and after it is done can investigate the breach. The area of the leak must first be dug up and the company does not yet even know the exact location of the leak.
Merv Fingas, a scientist based in Edmonton said the shoreline of the North Saskatchewan River will likely be impacted by the oil spill. As well as the heavy oil, a type of lubricant mixed with it also is part of the leaked material. Fingas said of the spill: "It probably poses very little threat to aquatic life. The heavy oil that is there has very few toxic components which are water-soluble." The lubricant would evaporate fairly quickly. Fingas said that oil would collect on shorelines especially on curves coating grasses and aquatic plants. However, Fingas said that in his view pipelines were a low-risk means of moving petroleum.
The Saskatchewan Premier, Brad Wall, who is known for his strong support of pipelines, said that his support for them was not changed by the spill, saying:“The facts remain that if we’re not moving by a pipeline, it’s going to move … (by rail). We know that rail is actually more susceptible to spills and spills are often more intense.”

Saskatchewan election: Two articles from Prince Albert

Wall sounds quite upbeat like a used car salesman urging people to "trade up". If they trade up though they will may end up paying for a new model clunker. Maybe they will trade again next election.
It will be interesting to see what Wall does about the mill agreement.
These artcles are from the Prince Albert Herald.Voters asking for change, says Wall


THERESA SERAPHIM
The Prince Albert Daily Herald




Saskatchewan voters are looking for a change, according to Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall.

At a Monday rally, Wall compared the NDP to a vehicle that's not running well, prompting the owner to say, "I think it's time to trade up."

The same holds true for the current government, he said.

"There's a tired, old NDP."

Wall said there are possibilities in the area of health care.

"We see Prince Albert as the health centre it can be, as the health centre it must be."

The universal drug program that NDP leader Lorne Calvert wants to bring in is unsustainable, said Wall, adding it's "a plan that is the wrong prescription for health care in Saskatchewan."

The pulp mill situation is also an important issue, he said.

"We need leadership in Regina committed to ensuring there's a real solution for the mill," Wall told a room full of applauding supporters.

He came to Prince Albert because "this centre is very important, politically and economically," in the areas of energy, mining, forestry and agriculture, he said.

"We want to make sure we get a message out (that) the Saskatchewan Party has a dynamic role to play."

Wall said the approach taken by the NDP emphasizes scaring voters, but hope trumps that.

For example, he said to laughter from the audience, "every time you buy a ticket to a Saskatchewan Roughriders game, there is hope and there is fear. And you buy them anyway, because hope beats fear."

tseraphim@paherald.sk.ca

Much at risk in election, says Calvert

New Democratic Party Leader Lorne Calvert said he stopped in Prince Albert on Monday to "remind people about what's at risk" in Wednesday's election.

During a meet and greet at an NDP campaign office, Calvert said several issues are paramount, including tuition, a universal drug plan, property tax relief, and the future of the memorandum of understanding signed Sept. 12 with regard to the mill.

"Mr. Wall has made it clear he will not participate," said Calvert, adding "without this memorandum, there will be no mill."

Calvert said the Prince Albert ridings are "very important" for several reasons.

"We've had such strong leadership from Prince Albert over the years (and) Prince Albert does sit at the very hub of tremendous potential," especially in the forestry sector, he said.

Calvert said the city is also "so representative of the whole province of Saskatchewan (with) a beautiful and wonderful mix of First Nations and Métis people (which) represents much of what is very good about Saskatchewan."

Calvert stressed the importance of all eligible voters getting out to cast their ballot.

"It is such a precious franchise that we have," he said.

Actor/singer Tom Jackson, who attended the meet and greet, echoed that sentiment.

"We have a voice. We have to exercise that voice," he said, adding those who don't think their vote matters should remember change happens one person at a time.

Also, he said, "you're only two phone calls away from the prime minister or the premier."

tseraphim@paherald.sk.ca