TMX LUDDISM PREVAILS

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC)  suggests   that civilization is doomed because of continued production of carbon dioxide when using  fossil fuels….

Why has Canada  not joined in the massive ITER( https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17950-iter-how-it-works/ )

effort to ‘learn’ …and possibly find a way to make a better primary energy source ? The Government  proposed carbon tax plan is  politically safer for  to implement, but ,in the opinion of many ,is not likely to encourage enough  people to adequately  reduce their individual carbon  footprint…

This appears to be a pattern for your government since you avoided calling on  science supported expertise to prepare an independent risk assessment when deciding to approve the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion(TMX) !

Imagine Government  ordering that all carbon dioxide producing devices be replaced with non-carbon dioxide producing  equipment …based on

a jointly researched industry/government ,approved plan. Something like ordering 28 ESTABLISHED industries to  build war machinery, as was done when WW2 started…

Carl Shalansky, P. Eng. (Retired)

Blog: https://redfern3359.wordpress.com/

(604) 986-4657

 

BC PUBLIC ‘SKREWED’ AT THE PUMPS —WHILE AL;BERTA PREMIER WHINES.

: BC public ‘skrewed’ at the gas pumps…while Alberta whines !

 

 

Let the BC Government lead by finding a suitable location for a new refinery  … We did have 4 refineries in BC ,now just one ? How was this allowed to happen…meanwhile the Washington refineries EXPAND ,as Alberta sells them crude oil and BC public  are “skrewed’’ at the gas pumps.

Not long ago ,the Appeals Court rejected the TMX project, the First Nations still do not agree, as do many Vancouver voters …leaving  a new  minority Federal Government to struggle while trying to keep this always goofy, flawed  TMX plan alive.

Apparently,  local pundit(Paul Sullivan) has been ‘sweet talked’ into accepting the idea of  TMX(North Shore News,Dec. 6,2019)Yes , Mr. Sullivan ,TMX appears to make sense ….when the facts are ignored ;

Fact 1. Major infrastructure projects(like TMX at several $billion)typically are subjected to an independent risk assessment to protect interests of the investor and the environment. We Canadians ,the uninitiated  investors ,now owners of the multibillion dollar TMX ,where completely ignored when this independent risk assessment  was bypassed by Government .A timely independent risk assessment might have killed the TMX before any time wasting hearings process !

Fact 2. BC communities do not agree that  a 7 fold increase of bitumen tankers should be permitted  in our busy ,environmentally sensitive Salish Sea waters….

http://www.nsnews.com/news/tsleil-waututh-decry-new-review-rules-on-pipeline-projects-1.23170089

Fortuitously we are offered the (potential)opportunity to solve the BC/Alberta pipelines mess…see North Shore News item below…when our now Environment Minister ,  parliamentary secretary  to then Minister  Catherine McKenna….

“North Vancouver ,MP Jonathan Wilkinson…… held a press conference in Victoria ….. to unveil federal changes… the   new ….assessment process … will be more inclusive …. “All of the science will be publicly available,” and  will … no longer depend entirely on scientific data supplied by project proponents(TMX).. Ottawa will pay to bring in external scientific experts ….”   This Bill C69 language makes sense…surely it’s time to listen and correct this bad TMX decision ?

 

FACT 3… RISK IS THE ISSUE ,SHOW US THE SCIENCE PLEASE;

http://www.burnabynow.com/news/kinder-morgan-s-final-argument-the-project-is-in-the-public-interest-1.2133616     ( December 15, 2015)

“Trans Mountain(Kinder Morgan) submits that ….there are no impacts….that cannot be mitigated ”  !

 

Meanwhile there is an independent  ,EPA funded report…that states the exact OPPOSITE… this

study (see link below)CONCLUDED    “…simply…there is no guarantee that RISK increases ….. can be fully mitigated.”  First issued 2010   and updated 2014

http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~dorpjr/VTRA/PSP/FINAL%20REPORT/PSP%20FINAL%20REPORT%20-%20%20DRAFT%20021914%20-%20EXECUTIVE%20SUMMARY.pdf  

Surely our governments could have seen the opportunity to collaborate with the US study group to include vital BC shipping data and put environmental data in their hands to offer a worried BC public…that a (similar)scientific review will be offered to ensure that the TMX plan, makes good sense, ??as proposed !?  Neither the Feds or BC governments cared ?

Remember (‘Steve’) ,Harper government (JULY 2015)announced   ‘proposed BC ‘Think Tank’ ‘… to STUDY the ‘RISKS OF MARINE SHIPPING’   …where is this RISK STUDY Mr. Prime Minister ?

Our snowboarder PM might explain why HE decided that the KM proposal was OK….we taxpayers pay mightily to maintain stables of Professional  Engineers ,research scientists etc. to provide counsel to Government…was our Government negligent to have bypassed this step…is impeachment in order ?

Yes, a pipeline and ocean tanker scheme may be in the public interest…but not this ill-conceived TMX proposal…that may unnecessarily threaten a key  BC multi-billion dollar environmentally based tourist  industry….

Don’t send  bitumen laden tankers through our busy ,shared, Salish Sea  .. …Let our  , esteemed, scientists show our leaders and the BC public a  less risky route plan…then decide.

 

Carl Shalansky , P. Eng.(retired)
3359 Redfern Place
North Vancouver, B.C, V7N 3W2

604 9864657

https://redfern3359.wordpress.com/

 

 

THE END OF TMX

• Alberta Premier Jason Kenney…..’gallops’ off to the UK today …where he …. will “underscore the province’s reputation as one of the world’s most stable, secure and environmentally responsible energy suppliers.” Don’t forget to cozy up to the Ukrainian President and “offer a stable and secure supply”…for their idle refineries . While the world watches as Russia build pipelines, willy nilly across Asia and Europe, as though was no need to be concerned about the pending Climate created ‘end of civilization’ .O yah, there is a need to build a pipeline to tide water which could happen soon if Premier Kenny arranged for ‘gas pump’ prices were to suddenly become more reasonable…what say Jason ? Forget about TMX, as the court will have no option but to ,again, kill that goofy plan….and direct the parties to find a new less risky pipeline and tanker routes to a new terminal near Port Simpson, BC.

Carl Shalansky, P. Eng. (Retired)
Blog: https://redfern3359.wordpress.com/
(604) 986-4657

WW3,THE ENEMY IS US !

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with much ‘help’ from   government leaders ,past and present,  and many celebrities ,  convinced most, that the end of  civilization is nigh… . The IPCC ,and those supporting scientists, who so effectively convinced UN leadership, that CO2 is the  ’enemy’, might now work ‘as hard’ to convince their own local government  leaders to curtail  CO2 production, while  we  observe  gradual reversal of the effects of that excess CO2.

Some promising ideas are in various stages of development..

1.France produces more than 70 % of it electricity from nuclear fueled power plants.  Should more follow the same path ,as an interim step ??

2.The Small Modular Reactor (SMR) where Canada and other countries see much potential  to reduce the carbon footprint..

3.The ultimate fix could be the ITER project. Canada not a member ? .  ITER’s mission is to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion power…much ‘ITER’ info online …

4.Many ‘solutions’ yet to be fully evaluated….tidal power, wind, solar ,geothermal ,hydrogen fuel, carbon capture, retrofitting…. etc.

 

Carl Shalansky, P. Eng. (Retired)

Blog: https://redfern3359.wordpress.com/

(604) 986-4657

 

 

 

Trans Mountain Expansion(TMX) pipeline…demise…

https://www.burnabynow.com/news/burnaby-presents-case-to-exert-control-over-trans-mountain-oil-shipments-1.23768828   ( Feb 2018)

North Vancouver Liberal MP Jonathan Wilkinson,  ,  said in February,  at a press conference ….. that  the new environmental assessment process for major projects will be more inclusive and transparent ….. “All of the science will be publicly available”.

Recall when  our Science  Minister explained that  “We need to be basing our decisions ……on facts…..and …. SCIENCE “!

 

Government civil service has the expertise to provide counsel .…they could have saved everyone  a lot of discomfort had Government  trusted them for their counsel about TMX. Note, that Government  Professional Engineers are bound by a code of ethics …and ” hold paramount the safety …of the public…and environment “ …

Recall your lecture, Mr. PM that” only communities can give permission”. We wanted to believe you then but we’d been fooled before…like the one about “basing decisions …on science”…??

 

Thankfully the Federal Court of Appeal corrected a Government ‘flawed approval decision’ .It’s now time to apply the science that leads us to a least-risk tanker/pipeline transport plan… and earn those superior Canadian   benefits.

 

THERE ARE NO RULES..

 

Justin Trudeau   appears to have ‘lost it’ ! . Former Minister  ,Judy Wilson-Raybould,   has shown him the way. Should  the  most powerful person in Government,   Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, be expected  make this dysfunctional Government right again ? Let’s invite  her to respond ?

 

 

As Canada’s ‘de facto’ leader  make this dysfunctional Government right again…just another challenging ‘mission’ ! The Government  appears to have lost sight of the principle of the Separation of Powers. It  appears that our PM and his helpers would prefer an arena where ‘there are  no rules’, but their own!

 

This government  ‘imbroglio’ is  receiving much speculative media coverage. No doubt you are  aware  of ‘the government situation’ !  The public are correct  in wanting to know the facts. As Head of State, we call on you, Madam Governor General, to order the Prime Minister ,firstly  , because of the disrespect shown  Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, to apologize to her publicly…and if necessary he should to step down and call for an election.

Madam Governor General ,we ask you to right the ship of state and that ultimately you will find a way to let the electorate make the final decision.

BUILD A REFINERY AND INCREASE EXPORTS

Alberta Premier   not afraid to go it alone…and wants to build a refinery in Alberta !…Alberta will  use its  powers to respond decisively and to the punish Ottawa’s ineptness in dealing with pipelines/export issues  !

Yes ,why not extend the goal and team up with BC and jointly call for bids(by Enbridge and/or Trans Canada Pipelines)  to build a new bigger  pipeline from Alberta to Port Simpson thus allowing larger tankers to carry more oil to market and no longer threaten BC southern communities with that goofy Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) pipeline scheme resulting in  happier/healthier  whales and at the same time reducing potential for tanker spills in BC busy multibillion dollar visitor business areas in southern BC,

Let the winner operate/purchase  existing  Tran Mountain system  to ensure that products are in sufficient supply without the current price gouging we experience in BC . Subject to review such a plan could meet requirements of recent Federal Court of Appeal order to fix he ill-conceived TMX ?.

Proponents of such a plan should be happier given  pending elections !

BUILD NEW, SMARTER ,PIPELINE/TANKER INFRASTRUCTURE …

 

On behalf of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, I would like to acknowledge receipt of your correspondence.

 

Thank you for writing. The Prime Minister welcomes the views of Canadians on the issues that are important to them. You may be assured that your comments have been duly noted.

 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write.

 

J.P. Vachon

Manager/Gestionnaire

Executive Correspondence Services

for the Prime Minister’s Office

Services de la correspondance

de la haute direction

pour le Cabinet du Premier ministre

 

>>>   From : Carl Shalansky  cshalansky@shaw.ca      Received : 06  Aug  2018 03:39:14 PM   >>>

 

>>>   Subject : FW: Location. Location….!   >>>>

 

 

 

Attention: Al Monaco President  and CEO Enbridge…

 

 

 

 

 

Mr.  Prime Minster, you have an opportunity to create a new, more community accepted, greater resources export plan by implementing your more rigorous project assessment criteria… Omnibus Bill C 69….and at the same time  presenting Government an opportunity ‘to exit’ the  TMX  pipeline/tanker export business .Recall when Al Monaco hinted to the media that Enbridge possibly might move out of Douglas  Channel …. This ‘hint’  now  presents itself as ‘the solution’ to Canada’s current  diluted bitumen  (dilbit) export dilemma .

 

Assume  a new pipeline/tanker terminal location, at Port Simpson….where larger oil tankers could immediately enter the open Pacific and travel much shorter distances to reach the Asia markets  .

 

Let a major Canadian pipeline/export operator assist in completing this vital export opportunity, including possibly owning and operating the original Trans Mountain Oil pipeline business !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carl Shalansky, P. Eng. (Retired)

 

Blog: https://redfern3359.wordpress.com/

 

(604) 986-4657

 

 

 

WAKEY ENBRIDGE…TIME TO ACT ….AND WIN !

Our government appears to have billions to spare…to build a goofy pipeline that NO COMMUNITY IN southern BC wants.  Our new Fisheries and Oceans Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.MP chose to not listen to his constituents and consequently was rewarded with a cushy new job.!! A couple of Liberal  MPs did speak in support of  constituents who disliked TCM.. Will  their  names on the next election ballot as a Liberal candidates…come Oct 2019 ?

Recall when  our Senate recommended   “government must … restore legitimacy to the pipeline approval process.”

http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/sen/committee/421/TRCM/Reports/FINALVERSION-PipelineStudy-2016-12-07_e.pdf

Recently our government recognized that TMX review process was “flawed” and Government  have now put together a much more “robust “ review/assessment process…clearly spelled out in Omnibus Bill C69. Canadians have an opportunity to apply these more rigorous assessment criteria…!

Saga after saga have developed as government struggled with the ill-conceived TMX pipeline to the extent that the proponent(Kinder Morgan) saw fit to walk away from their much publically challenged proposal ! Eventually Government panicked and bought out the Kinder Morgan project…for billions ! The original Government project review was flawed but the new Omnibus Bill assessment criteria would permit creation of a much less risky plan…particularly as it relates to the TMX  greatly increased tanker traffic in busy, environmentally challenged southern BC waters !

The opportunity to correct this unfortunate TMX plan exists as now the Canadian public own TMX. Should the new owners, Canadians , demand that government “restore legitimacy “with a new study carried out with Government’s own Bill C 69 more robust assessment criteria !

Start NOW and build new safer, larger infrastructure with a new pipeline from Alberta to near Port Simpson where larger tankers could enter the open Pacific without wiggling their way through our busy Salish Sea waters and end up with much closer access to Asia markets.

Yes ,such a plan would require dilbit laden tankers to deliver to Washington ,etc. to US refineries…a reasonable compromise to serve  existing customers while potentially  gaining the intended Enbridge(PNG) Asia markets .

This concept serves Alberta desire to increase exports, jobs ,tax revenues ,etc.   and BC’ desire to reduce potential tanker spill probability !

One more knee jerk task remains for the PM…remove his unfounded northen BC ban on crude oil tankers from travelling northern BC waters…maybe  new Minister (Wilkinson) could help with this chore ?

WANNA BUY A PIPELINE

 

 

https://prod.greenpeaceusa.info/usa/reports/tanker-superhighway/

Lots of numbers thrown about by the potentially tanker spill  impacted public …but Canadian governments since day one have avoided any independent studies that would suggest that the Trans Mountain Expansion(TMCX) is anytjhing but a goofy ,ill-conceived plan…The Canadian governmsnent avoided carrying on any odependemt stufies,the BC government is yacking about wanting to find out more about the potential damages resulting from a tanker spill  but have shown no ‘independent ,hard science to suggest they are serious. The recent reports referred suggest that someone had better do something SOON !

Reports like these suggest that no one would be goofy enough to but this lemon of  diluted bitumen export plan …Would any one take it for  free??

The problem, since day one, has been concern about likelihood of a tanker spill in our southern BC ‘visitor industry’ marine business locations .Our Federal government never seemed to care ,while local communities screamed out about their concerns but did nothing but wring their hands and cry woe is me !

 

The so called public review process was flawed since day one and has recently been redrawn…see Omibus Bill C 69 which requires a much more rigorous assessment proces than existed during the TMX review ! Washington State has been concerned for years about the increased shipping in the Salish Sea and their independent risk assessment  report says  (see link below)CONCLUDED    “…simply…there is no guarantee that RISK increases ….. can be fully mitigated.”

See  http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~dorpjr/VTRA/PSP/FINAL%20REPORT/PSP%20FINAL%20REPORT%20-%20%20DRAFT%20021914%20-%20EXECUTIVE%20SUMMARY.pdf

 

However our national energy board chose to not review that available document ? Go figure.

The Canadian pipeline/export proposals have been hot topics for our governments…the recent Harper Federal government was defeated In part because of their refusal to listen to the BC communities .An even more drastic a result was the defeat of the Provincial Liberal government because they too chose to not listen. Such an outcome must be avoided wiring the Oct 2019 Federal election….and that folks is why we’re still dithering with this rather simple pipeline/tanker debacle.

Canadian government  engineers ,if called upon ,would soon have recognized the public concern about increased tanker spill risk from the proposed TMX7 fold increase in tankers  but it looks like they were nor consulted formally… Politics enters the picture…this simple export plan has turned into a potential time bomb during the upcoming Federal Election. Trans Mountain(Kinder Morgan) threatened to walk away from the project so our generous government  decided to purchase this ill-conceived project..The ongoing public dislike and willingness to resist this unacceptable project makes the future look bleak for any would be purchaser?

Luckily there is a common sense, win/win solution for this pipeline dilemma .

Carl Shalansky, P. Eng. (Retired)

Blog: https://redfern3359.wordpress.com/

(604) 986-4657