Discovery comes as First Nations gather for healing walk from Fort MacMurray.
from the Athabasca Chipewayan First Nation
FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta, July 7, 2013 — The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is demanding answers and action from the Alberta government following reports of a large, possibly petrochemical, spill into the Athabasca River. The large visible peteochemical sheen may be from a previous spill that regulators failed to contain or from a new release. Either way it has been left unaddressed and has forced the community to close the community's water intake.
Early Saturday morning a community member from the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) reported a large oily sheen on the Athabasca river about 60 km north of Fort McMurray that, according to his account, stretched more than 5 km.
“Our members appear to be the only world class monitoring system Alberta has,” said Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam.
The sheen, which from pictures and eye-witness account appears to be petrochemical in nature, was reported both to the Alberta Government's new Alberta Energy Regulator and the Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resources. After silence from both government bodies, Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam flew over the site late Saturday afternoon. He reported that that the sheen now stretched for more than 100 kms, and had soaked river banks. Nation members also took samples and pictures of the spill.
“Our Nation faces another toxic threat to our water supply. Our calls for action are met by silence by the Alberta government and their new energy regulator. Our members appear to be the only world class monitoring system Alberta has,” said Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam.
“It’s tragically ironic that we would find this sheen on the same day that we walk to heal the land from tar sands destruction,” remarked Adam.
The finding of the spill happened on the same day that hundreds of people from all across Canada gathered in Fort McMurray to participate in a healing walk through the inundated tar sands region.
“It’s tragically ironic that we would find this sheen on the same day that we walk to heal the land from tar sands destruction,” remarked Adam. “This spill is one of the number of reasons why we walk and is a oily reminder of Alberta’s growing pipeline and tar sands problem. The Alberta government needs to address these problems, ignoring them doesn’t make them go away.”
© Copyright 2013 Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, All rights Reserved. Written For: StraightGoods.caOne Response to “Chipewyan First Nation finds large sheen on Athabasca River”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
[…] the Athabasca Chipewayan First Nation, reposted from Straight Goods News July 7, 2013 The Healing Walk 2013. The tar sands are growing out of control, destroying the […]