May 9th Enbridge Oil Spil Still A Problem for Local Community (Northern News Service)

Wrigley vents oil spill concerns to National Energy Board

Community doesn't have resources to review complex clean-up plan, according to chief

Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, August 3, 2011

PEHDZEH KI/WRIGLEY
The frustration of not having the funding or capacity to fully review documents related to pipelines and spills is one of the concerns that Pehdzeh Ki First Nation has raised with the National Energy Board (NEB). 

Chief Tim Lennie of Pehdzeh Ki First Nation holds Enbridge Pipeline Inc.'s remediation action plan for the oil spill on the Norman Wells pipeline. Lennie said the First Nation doesn't have the resources to properly review the document. - Roxanna Thompson/NSSL photo

On July 27 representatives of the board were scheduled to meet informally with Chief Tim Lennie and the band council in Wrigley. Lennie instead invited the whole community to participate in the meeting.

Between 30 and 40 people, including a lot of young parents, attended the meeting. Lennie said he wanted the NEB, which is responsible for overseeing the clean-up of Enbridge Pipeline Inc's oil spill on the Norman Wells pipeline, to hear from his members.

"I really couldn't leave my members out," he said.

Lennie said the concerns that were voiced to the NEB are the same ones that have been heard over and over again since the spill occurred on May 9, including questions about the spill's potential impact on residents' health and the health of wildlife near the spill.

Residents would also like to see measures taken to increase the strength of the pipeline, including possibly changing the pipe or double lining it, said Lennie. People also want assurances there will be more regular testing conducted on the pipeline that could identify weak areas before spills occur.

One of the primary concerns, however, was related to the draft remediation action plan that Enbridge has developed for the spill. Pehdzeh Ki First Nation, along with Liidlii Kue First Nation and Dehcho First Nations, were provided electronic copies of the 674-page document on June 24 and asked to review it and provide comments to the company.

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