Study could have altered Gateway report: scientist

Peter James, Prince George Citizen
pjames [at] pgcitizen [dot] ca

Information in a new report on what would happen if diluted bitumen spilled in the marine environment could have changed the way the federal Joint Review Panel examining the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline reached its conclusions, according to a witness for one intervener group.

Raincoast Conservation Foundation senior scientist Paul Paquet said a report released this week by Environment Canada that showed that diluted bitumen could sink in saltwater in some conditions could have pushed the three-member panel to recommend different conditions for the plan to build a pipeline and export terminal to ship oilsands products to Kitimat.

“It may not have changed their ultimate decision to recommend the project be approved but it could have changed some of the contingencies, requirements and expectations for Enbridge,” he Paquet said…

pjames [at] pgcitizen [dot] ca

To read the full article please visit the Prince George Citizen website.

You can help

Raincoast’s in-house scientists, collaborating graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors make us unique among conservation groups. We work with First Nations, academic institutions, government, and other NGOs to build support and inform decisions that protect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the wildlife that depend on them. We conduct ethically applied, process-oriented, and hypothesis-driven research that has immediate and relevant utility for conservation deliberations and the collective body of scientific knowledge.

We investigate to understand coastal species and processes. We inform by bringing science to decision-makers and communities. We inspire action to protect wildlife and wildlife habitats.

Coastal wolf with a salmon in its month.
Photo by Dene Rossouw.