Railways, built over the last centuries and a half were carefully built along side rivers in BC. In many cases major tributaries flow a few metres from the rail bed.
A simple risk calculation will show, the danger of a derailment's impact on the ecosystems are far far higher than a pipeline (which statistically loses 2.2 litres per thousand miles; 22bbl of oil per billion bbl). If anyone would quiet down, do the math, and think rationally, the numbers show this has insignificant risk compared to current modes of transportation that have been moving for the past 100 years.
If Canada were to ship its oil by rail to Kitimat, (and we could be already shipping hydrocarbons by rail to the North West Coast,) the risks would be astronomical by comparison. Worse, if a pipeline were compared with the far more toxic chemicals that are presently shipped to and from Kitimat and Prince Rupert. The devastation to fish stocks in event of derailment would make a pipeline spill so insignificant, that if you are talking real risk, a pipeline spill-danger approaches zero at infinity. Saying that an oil spill is inevitable is like saying it is inevitable you will win the lottery. Someone does every time after all...
Railways, built over the last centuries and a half were carefully built along side rivers in BC. In many cases major tributaries flow a few metres from the rail bed.
ReplyDeleteA simple risk calculation will show, the danger of a derailment's impact on the ecosystems are far far higher than a pipeline who loses 2.2 litres per thousand miles; 22bbl of oil per billion bbl, if anyone would quiet down and do the math, and think rationally, the numbers show this has insignificant risk compared to current modes of transportation that have been moving for the past 100 years.
If Canada were to ship its oil by rail to Kitimat, and we could be already shipping hydrocarbons by rail to the North West Coast, the risks would be astronomical by comparison. Worse, if a pipeline were compared with far more toxic chemicals that are shipped to and from Kitimat and Prince Rupert, the devastation to fish stocks in event of derailment would make a pipeline spill so insignificant, that if you are talking real risk, a pipeline spill approach zero. Saying that an oil spill is inevitable is like saying it is inevitable you will win the lottery. Someone does every time after all...