Friday, 12 August 2011 09:22
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| Crews clean up oil that leaked from Enbridge's Norman Wells pipeline south of Wrigley, N.W.T., in early May. Upwards of 1,500 barrels of oil have spilled from the pipeline, according to the company. Photo submitted by D'Arcy J. Moses. |
About 40 residents in Wrigley, a Dene community of about 100, joined Pehdzeh Ki First Nation Chief Tim Lennie and councillors as they met with Enbridge officials to discuss the pipeline leak and cleanup efforts.
Local hunters discovered the leak at Enbridge's Norman Wells pipeline south of Wrigley around May 9, in a forested area near the Willowlake River.
Around the time the spill was reported, Enbridge said only four barrels of oil had leaked into the soil.
The company later revised its estimate, saying upwards of 1,500 barrels have spilled. Crews have been cleaning up the contaminated areas since May.
Youth and elders were among those who attended Thursday's meeting with Enbridge at the Wrigley band office, the CBC's Allison Devereaux reported from the community.
Remediation efforts on hold
An Enbridge representative told residents on Thursday that the oil spill is fully contained, maintaining that none of the oil has leaked into the Willowlake River.
But the official added that Enbridge has not found a place to store the contaminated soil, which it plans to ship to Zama, Alta. As a result, remediation efforts are caught in a holding pattern, residents were told.
Company officials would not say whether or not the spilled oil may migrate, but said it is a possibility because of melting permafrost.
Lennie said at the meeting that he wants to repair the relationship Wrigley has with Enbridge, but not before expressing his frustration with the company for how it has handled the pipeline spill.
Lennie refused Enbridge's offer of $5,000 to help his First Nation hire experts to analyze the company's 674-page draft cleanup plan.
'Callous and insulting' treatment
The chief said the money being offered is not enough to help the First Nation adequately understand Enbridge's technical plan before it is submitted to the National Energy Board.
Lennie also criticized the company for bringing in cleanup workers without offering jobs to local people first.
Brad Enge described Enbridge's treatment of people in Wrigley as "callous and insulting."
Enbridge officials told residents they did not intend to alienate the community.
Since the spill came to light, residents in Wrigley have raised concerns about its potential impacts on human health, as well as the health of area wildlife that people hunt for food.
The company promised to provide a health expert who can answer residents' questions at the First Nation's annual assembly at the end of this month.
Originally posted August 11, 2011