[All] Energy East webonair: What was said in Thunder Bay.

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks
I was one of 12 people online participating in the Energy East  provincial discussions in Thunder Bay which took place today. The event itself was well attended physically although I found the online crowd remarkably small.
The format is easy enough to participate. Visit here, click online forum and it takes you to a quick registration page and boom your in. You can hear the meeting, listen to technical experts and then chime in with questions or concerns to voice to the province about the project.  Here's the link to participate. 
http://www.ontarioenergyboard.ca/html/oebenergyeast/attend_a_meeting.cfm#.VLcn1SvF9XE
Different evenings may feature different experts and there is no limitation on how often one participates. The good part is the data gathered and submitted online will go on record for the Province to consider it's position on the matter. 
The data I heard was rather alarming too. For example, the TransCanada report stated that the pipeline will reduce Green House Gas emissions therefore is a benefit. Unfortunately they failed to mention the fact that the project requires 125 km of powerlines for pumping stations and mainline valves which mysteriously was excluded from the data submitted by TransCanada. 
The project requires conversion of existing gas lines to oil and when the expert was asked if standards differed they stated no the same standards apply.
There were engineering experts at the meeting blowing the whistle on several issues. For example the TransCanada expert stated that steel maintains it's quality when it ages. Meanwhile a ship builder said that's false. Steel becomes more brittle as it ages and it can crack, corrode and loose structural integrity. 
Another fella, an expert in hydrogeostatic testing said if there's a oil leak or spill in some of these boggy communities the line goes over, you can't reach it at all in the winter. You can't even get equipment to the site until summertime. 
Lot of concern around Aboriginal communities as well. TransCanada states there will be 126 valves placed for this project as it spans Ontario but the rep from Treaty 3 stated we have that many waterways in our territory alone let alone across all of Ontario. 
Main issues: Water risks, risks to communities, risks to biodiversity and climate change as well as economic risks. 
An overwhelming majority of folks oppose this thing outright. 
Anything you type goes on the record so online participation actually gives you much better access to relay concerns. I spent a good portion of time relaying concerns and supporting them with the actual links to supporting news articles and websites. At one point their expert stated how epoxy coverings don't crackle and I provided them with a bonafide study showing how it does under certain circumstances. It was fun to do a quick fact check. 
I highly encourage you all to participate in at least one of these meetings to chime in and have a say. Dates and times as well as the long in point are all at that above email address. 
Talk to you later! 
Lulu :0) 
 


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