Lubicon upset over start of Rainbow pipeline

Residents of a northern Alberta community near a massive crude oil spill are upset the pipeline company was allowed to resume operations without consulting with them first.

Calgary-based Plains Midstream Canada resumed operations on the Rainbow Pipeline Tuesday after receiving approval from Alberta's Energy Resources Conservation Board [ERCB].

Garrett Tomlinson, a spokesman for the Lubicon Lake First Nation in Little Buffalo, said the company has given them no assurance the line is safe, even though they were supposed notify the community before resuming operations.

He said the company last met with the community shortly after the April 28 leak, which spilled 28,000 barrels or 4.5 million litres of crude oil in an area 14 kilometres away from Little Buffalo.

"We had a few positive meetings that suggested that there would be some active engagement and active consultation and after they made it out of the office with smiles on their face and some positive press, they never showed up again," Tomlinson said.

A community consultation plan, which included meetings with local stakeholders before resumption of operations, was a condition that had to be met before the ERCB granted its approval.

"To the best of our knowledge, they have complied with those conditions and they have confirmed with us that they have met those requirements in writing and verbally with our staff," ERCB spokesman Bob Curran said.

Curran said the ERCB plans to follow up with First Nations in the area as well as review the company's consultation efforts.

In a written statement, Plains Midstream said the company held a meeting in Little Buffalo in June, when staff answered questions and provided community members an update on the cleanup.

The company said it has been in regular contact with First Nations and community leaders.

"We remain committed to involving and communicating with local communities on the operations and clean up of the release site," the statement said.

The cause of the leak was determined to be stress on an existing crack on a weld-on sleeve. The spill was one of the largest in Alberta history.