Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment Education Event http://cnhe-iise.ca/ | Tar Sands,Pipelines & Super Tankers – Moving to Resolution April 15, 2013 – 1 to 2:30 pm EDT Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment http://cnhe-iise.ca/ | Hilda Swirsky, President June Kaminski, President Elect Fiona Hanley, Past President Jessica Madrid, Secretary Shelly Archibald, Communications Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment
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Tar Sands,Pipelines & Super Tankers Moving to Resolution
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Canadian Nurses for Health and
the Environment Education Event http://cnhe-iise.ca/ |
Tar Sands,Pipelines & Super
Tankers – Moving to Resolution
April 15, 2013 – 1 to 2:30 pm EDT Canadian Nurses for Health and
the Environment http://cnhe-iise.ca/ |
Hilda Swirsky, President
June Kaminski, President Elect
Fiona Hanley, Past President
Jessica Madrid, Secretary
Shelly Archibald, Communications
Canadian Nurses for
Health and the Environment
Canadian Nurses for Health and
the Environment Education Event http://cnhe-iise.ca/ |
Table of Contents
Topic Section Name Duration
1. Introduction to the Issue 15 mins
2. Why should we be concerned? 30 mins
3. What can WE do about it? 30 mins
4. Q and A 15 mins
Canadian Nurses for Health and
the Environment Education Event http://cnhe-iise.ca/ |
PART 1:
Introduction to the
Issue
Canadian Nurses for Health and
the Environment Education Event http://cnhe-iise.ca/ |
Background of Canadian
Nurses for Health and the
Environment
The Canadian Nurses for Health and the
Environment - Infirmieres et Infirmiers pour la
Sante et l'Environnement (CNHE/IISE)
represents Registered Nurses dedicated to
the improvement of environmental health
across all domains of nursing practice, policy,
research and education.
During CNA’s Biennial in 2007; CNA received funding to second a
project manager Nicki Sims Jones for a year and put out a
national call to nurses interested in the environment
CNA’s Environmental Health Reference Group
Nicki was fantastic in shaping the group and guiding us to
important environmental literature and readings
With CNA’s support, members of this initial
Environmental Health Reference Group formed a
subcommittee and created the Constitution and
Bylaws to founding CNA’s new emerging interest
group: the Canadian Nurses for Health and the
Environment. Since then, CNHE has evolved to
become an Associate Group of CNA.
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TAR SANDS, PIPELINES, AND
SUPER TANKERS
One of the hottest environmental issues in the
Canadian and global consciousness this year
involves three key proposed new projects
• Enbridge Northern Gateway
• Kinder Morgan Transmountain Expansion
• Keystone XL Pipeline
Introduction to the Issue
Three key threats are enfolded in this issue:
TAR SAND DRILLING and expansion in
Alberta that will elevate the toxic aerial and
terrestrial pollution, and increase
greenhouse gas emissions;
The installation of long dual PIPELINES
from Alberta to Kitimat on the northern
British Columbia coast, and another to
Vancouver & more in the Prairies and
Eastern provinces
The demand for enormous SUPER
TANKERS to carry the thick new oil from
rugged northern British Columbia and
Vancouver to Asia and the USA
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A dangerous proposal opposed by many Canadians
The Enbridge Northern Gateway 4.5 billion dollar proposal states that
they want to pump over half a million barrels a day of unrefined bitumen
from the Alberta Tar Sands in Bruderheim, Alberta over the Rocky
Mountain range, through the wild and pristine expanse of northern British
Columbia which includes close to a thousand rivers and lesser
waterways, through the Great Spirit Rainforest, to the coastal town of
Kitimat. Along the way, several towns and cities would be in harm’s way,
including Morinville, Mayerthorpe, Whitecourt, Fox Creek, and Grande
Prairie in Alberta and Bear Lake, Tumbler Ridge, Prince George, Fort St
James, Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, Terrace, and
Kitimat in BC. From there, super tankers would navigate through very
dangerous and tight channels along the wild BC coast to carry the toxic
sludge to processing plants for refinement.
The risks to the health of Canadians and the natural environment are far too high!
ENBRIDGE NORTHERN GATEWAY In the Western Provinces
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False Marketing to Placate the Public
“The Enbridge Northern Gateway proposal would build
two parallel pipelines from Alberta's tar sands to BC's
north coast. If approved, the pipelines would traverse
the salmon-bearing Upper Fraser and Skeena
watersheds, and would bring 225 oil tankers a year to
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ENBRIDGE EASTERN ACCESS In the Eastern Provinces
Enbridge’s Light Oil Market Access plan
would pipe oil across Saskatchewan to US
The Eastern Access plan focuses on fixing
& reusing existing lines (Line 9) to pipe
dirty oil across Ontario and Quebec to
Montreal
Potentially, further pipelines could carry
the oil across all of Quebec to Saint
Johns, New Brunswick
Several other partnerships are being
planned with US companies that all
involve some aspect of Canada in the
process of transport
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ENBRIDGE PLANS FOR LINE 9
THREATENING THE EASTERN PROVINCES
Four oil spills occurred this past week and 800 occur each year
Oil companies are driving energy policies
Line 9, existing pipeline that is same age and material as pipeline that
spilled into Kalamazoo River in Michigan
Line 9 crosses all tributaries that go into Great Lakes and many
communities
Canada is doing the most to increase greenhouse gases and a lot to
sabotage other countries efforts
Oil is liquid but tar is solid
Ontario government has asked for environmental assessment
Has also had CN Rail spills of oil
Line 9 group also fighting in Montreal
Gaining momentum and educational sessions vital
In the Eastern Provinces
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ENBRIDGE EASTERN ACCESS
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KINDER MORGAN
TRANSMOUNTAIN PIPELINE
Threatening Southern parts of BC and Alberta
This 4.1 billion dollar project involves another threat to the Alberta
and BC people and environment by increasing the pipeline
transport from 300,000 barrels per day to 750,000 barrels per day,
This pipeline would expand the transport of dirty oil across several
mountain ranges, to the southwestern BC coast, ending its route
through the suburban Vancouver area. The increased super tanker
traffic would mean higher risk along the entire Burrard Inlet,
necessitating navigation through swift currents, under two bridges,
then around the series of islands that lie between the mainland
coastline and the open Pacific waters.
In the Western Provinces
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NORTH AMERICAN THREAT
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Public Disapproval is Growing Quickly
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PART 2:
Why should we be
concerned?
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This is a HEALTH and
SOCIAL JUSTICE issue!
• Destruction of ecosystem
• Boreal forest destruction
• Wildlife effects
• Air pollution levels due to Sulfur
dioxide(SO2) hydrogen sulfides, nitrous
oxide(NOx) , particulates, PAHs
• Ground water contamination
• Freon leaks
fires
Tar sand Oil EXTRACTION,
TRANSPORT, and USE pose major
threats to human and ecosystem health
Violations of aboriginal rights
Nurses have a strong tradition of being
advocates for environmental and
occupational health, as well as social
justice
This issue has implications at the local to
global level
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Bitumen is a toxic potent
carcinogen
• Oil sand extraction is elevating toxic aerial,
water, and terrestrial pollution.
• Acute exposure vs. chronic exposure..
• Extraction releases large volumes of
nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, volatile
organic compounds, and particulate matter
into the air (>2x the amount of emissions
compared to non-oil sand extraction
processes).
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
accumulation in lakes creating altered
ecosystems.
Concerns Related to
EXTRACTION
Oil sand extraction is a resource intensive,
polluting process that affects both industry workers
and nearby communities!
Extracting crude oil from the oil sands is the most
energy intensive of all oil extraction process,
requiring immense amounts of fuel (i.e. natural
gas).
Extraction processes requires up to 3.1 NET
barrels of fresh water PER one barrel of oil (~170
million cubic meters of water in 2011) (CAPP,
2012).
The ecosystem of the Athabasca River, which
flows into one of the world’s largest freshwater
deltas, is at risk from current water withdrawals.
Inadequate water recovery methods.
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Toxic tailings ponds (>200 million litres of mature fine tailings produced
each day). Ponds directly affect local ecosystems and seepage into
watersheds is known to occur.
Threats to food security, local economies that rely on healthy
watersheds/soil, etc.
Concerns re: inadequate monitoring and standards of acceptable
levels of pollution.
Studies have found increased levels of leukemia & lung cancer in oil
field workers
The Canadian Medical Association called for further investigation in health effects of tar sands development in 2012
Concerns Related to
EXTRACTION
Extraction…continued - 2
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Aboriginal Health
OVER 12 YEARS:
A three-fold increase in leukemias &
lymphomas in Fort Chipewyan;
A seven-fold increase in bile duct cancers;
Other cancers, such as soft tissue
sarcomas and lung cancers in women, also
found to be elevated in women
First Nations, Inuit and Metis people have
been the most vocal opponents to these issues
John O’Connor, GP in Fort Chipewyan 2002-2007, reported increase
in rare bile duct cancer
Alberta Cancer Board (2009) study found overall cancer rate in Fort
Chipewyan ~30% higher than expected.
Alberta Health Services not concerned, but study revealed:
30% increase in cancers in Fort Chipewyan compared with expected
rates over the last
Also higher rates of diabetes, HTN, renal failure & lupus ..all or some
linked with contaminants in tailings.
Extraction…continued - 3
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Too many unknowns and risks!
(2013) study (Smol) of sediment of 6 lakes
around Fort McMurray found 2.5 to 23 times
more PAHs in current sediment than in layers
dating back to around 1960.
Biliary cancers have been linked to petroleum
and to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) (chemicals in tar and soot).”23
Dr. Solomon: Leukemia's & lymphomas linked
in scientific literature to petroleum products:
e.g. VOCs, dioxin-like chemicals & other
Citizens of Mackenzie river concerned about
run-off
Much more Research needed
RSC report 2010: Unsure about direct
consequences to health from tar sands
public health consequences may stem from
socioeconomic pressures related to oil
sands development
- housing shortages, price inflation, family
stress, alcohol abuse, crime, & inadequate
municipal & health services
lack of effective measurement of potential
health and socioeconomic consequences by
focusing predominantly on “predicting
environmental contaminant exposures” &
inadequately evaluating associated health
issues, including technological disasters and
occupational health
Extraction…continued - 4
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Dubious living conditions for camp workers
8 x 12 foot rooms in trailer camps in the bush north or south
Newer camps cleaner & more comfortable
Drug use on camps
Unstable working conditions(fired and hired)
Quality of life issues in Fort McMurray
Loss of hunting grounds for Cree or Dene
Visual & smell
High # of workers from the Maritimes
Re-adjustments for these communities of workers at home
Some communities: pollution corrosion of brass fixtures, etc.
Leakage of PAHs and other chemicals into lakes surrounding Ft
McMurray
“The environment is 495 on a list of 490. It’s not there. Most don’t care. It’s not home. It’s a place to hang your hat and make money, and you go with the flow or get run over.” p. 50