Cleanup of latest Alberta oil spill could take all summer

Cleanup of latest Alberta oil spill could take all summer by Nathan Vanderklippe and Dawn Walton, June 8, 2012, The Globe and Mail
Gord Johnston’s tranquil life along the Red Deer River in central Alberta was shattered Thursday night as the nauseating scent of crude oil hung in the air and a coffee-coloured liquid lapped the banks near his home. … “My place is destroyed,” Mr. Johnston said, as he prepared to abandon his home and later head for a hospital to be treated for exposure to the fumes. “My whole life’s work is gone. I’ve pretty well lost it all here.” … But cleanup and containment won’t be easy and could take all summer, officials said. … Alberta Premier Alison Redford, who visited the cleanup site with her Environment Minister Friday, pledged that her Progressive Conservative government would take action if necessary – depending on the outcome of the investigation. But she was quick to defend the industry that is the province’s lifeblood. … Joe Anglin, environment critics for the opposition Wildrose Party, said while the regulations are in place to help prevent spills, the province is failing to provide adequate monitoring and enforcement. … “We may need a review of the ERCB,”

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