http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/neb-spill-map-takes-a-step-toward-pipeline-transparency-1.3032260
[links and images in on-line article]
NEB spill map takes a step toward pipeline transparency
Canada still lags behind U.S. in making complete spill data public
By Amber Hildebrandt, CBC News Posted: Apr 15, 2015 12:32 PM ET
The NEB says the interactive map of pipeline incidents is part of its
effort to be more transparent with the public. (Courtesy of NEB)
Canada's pipeline regulator took a "big step forward" on a promise to be
more transparent with the release of a map of spills and other
incidents. But gaps in the data still exist.
On Monday, the National Energy Board launched the interactive pipeline
incident map to showcase 692 spills, fires, injuries and other events
over the past eight years.
The incident map comes a year and a half after CBC News mapped the data
— using data obtained under the Access to Information Act that contained
numerous blank fields — and nearly two years after a Senate report
called for the NEB to create such a tool for Canadians.
"The NEB developed the map because Canadians deserve to have access to
information about incidents where they live and work," said NEB
spokesman Darin Barter. "It reflects the NEB's new direction, and a
commitment to openness and transparency."
Nathan Lemphers, a former senior policy analyst with the Alberta-based
Pembina Institute and a specialist in pipeline safety, commended the
national regulator for creating the tool.
"It's very encouraging to see that the National Energy Board is wanting
to disclose this information in a format that's easily accessible by the
public," said Lemphers. "That's a big step forward."
"But there's still more we can do when it comes to quality of the data
and how accessible it is," he said.
For example, Lemphers noted that a number of incidents lack details on
the type of substance or volume leaked, some figures in the map don't
reflect previously published data and the descriptions of the
terminology used are still mired in jargon.
The map is also missing a description of what happened in each incident
— something the regulator does collect and can be "pretty important for
understanding context," said Lemphers.
The Calgary-based NEB says some data is missing in the map because it
won't include any information that they haven't investigated and verified.
Canada still lags behind U.S.
A U.S. pipeline transparency advocacy group also applauded the Canadian
effort to be more transparent with the public.
But, Carl Weimer, executive director of the Washington State-based
Pipeline Safety Trust, said "the NEB still lags well behind the federal
regulator in the United States that makes easily available a good deal
more information about individual incidents."
South of the border, citizens have access to such details as the cause
of the incident, information on property damage, the age of the
component that failed, pressure the pipeline was operating at and other
information that "help tell the full story of the failure," said Weimer.'
The NEB said it does plan to refine its map based on feedback. "If we
can improve the system or increase the amount of data, we will do so,"
said Barter. Also, new incident data will be uploaded on a quarterly
basis, with the next round slated for July.
However, the board is also planning a 15 per cent cutback of its
workforce in the next two years as a temporary pool of money dedicated
in 2012 to safety oversight runs out, according to a report released
earlier this month.
Those cuts come despite increased public scrutiny of pipeline safety and
a rise in large projects set to get underway.
"If we want the data to be reliable, we need people who can give it a
critical eye on behalf of our public regulator," said Lemphers.
The federal regulator oversees 73,000 kilometres of pipeline that cross
international and provincial borders and are operated by more than 100
companies. Together, these companies ship more than $160 billion worth
of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas and natural gas liquids
through these federally regulated conduits.
The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, which represents some of the
country's largest operators of both federally and provincially regulated
pipelines, says NEB's mapping effort "responds to the public's call for
greater transparency," according to vice-president of external relations
Philippe Reicher.
The industry group says it, too, plans to heed that call — with a
similar tool to showcase its own members' data.
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