‘Anger to sadness:’ Sask. First Nation reacts to pipeline oil spill

A pipeline leaked 200,000 litres of oil into an ice-filled, low-lying slough on the First Nation. Resident Clint BigEagle told 980 CJME he discovered the breach last Friday.

“You could smell it,” he said. “It makes me sick and mad.”

The pipeline is slated to be excavated Wednesday to find out what caused the leak – and confirm the company responsible.

While Tundra Energy Marketing Inc. is leading the cleanup, there are two other major pipelines in the area.

“Until you actually excavate the ground and find out for sure where the leak actually is coming from … we can’t say that with all certainty,” said Saskatchewan Economy Minister Dustin Duncan. “But we are pretty certain we know where it is coming from.”

There were reports of an odour near the area in the week the spill was discovered, but Duncan said neither the ministry nor the field offices received any call of such a problem.

So far, 86 per cent of the contaminant has been taken away along with soil samples for testing.

A Tundra Energy employee said the company expects the cleanup to be complete Tuesday.

PIPELINES STILL SAFE: PROVINCE

Despite the leak, the Saskatchewan government maintains pipelines are the safest way of moving oil across the country.

The provincial auditor, however, has questioned the transparency of pipeline inspections.

Media and the public weren’t notified about the spill until four days later, but Duncan insisted Tuesday the province had to concentrate on work going on at the site.

“The priority needed to be containing and beginning the clean-up, and also to determine and ensure there wasn’t a hazard to the public and to waterways,” Duncan said.

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by CJME News Staff

‘Anger to sadness:’ Sask. First Nation reacts to pipeline oil spill

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