Chuck Cook/Greenpeace
Georgia Strait Alliance
The BC Government is changing the way we plan for and respond to spills of oil and other hazardous goods in our province-and we need you to speak up to make sure they get it right!
BC communities are at risk from toxic spills of hazardous materials that criss-cross our province by road, rail and ship every day. Our current spill response framework is woefully inadequate, so the government's move to make improvements is both overdue and welcome.
Although the new framework has potential, there are two big problems:
First, the government is poised to hand over control to the very industry that poses the spill risk, from planning through to cleanup. BC's environment and communities deserve better. We deserve a framework that is transparent and accountable to First Nations, local governments and the public - not one that puts the fox in charge of the henhouse.
Second, the new rules are clearly part of a strategy to 'get to yes' on the province's five conditions for approving heavy oil pipelines. But the proposed framework offers nothing to protect us from tar sands spills: there's no way to effectively clean up sunken bitumen, and no amount of regulation will change that.
Read our new report to find out more about the changes that are being proposed, and take action to ensure the new framework is as strong as possible.
There is still time to change course. In May 2016, a new law was passed, and the BC Ministry of Environment is now gathering public input on the regulations that will bring the new law to life. If British Columbians like you speak up, we can build a framework that serves the public rather than polluters, and puts us in in the best possible position to protect our air, land, water and communities from toxic spills.
We won't get another opportunity to shape spill planning and response on this scale for a generation. The Ministry of Environment is taking public comments until June 30th - make yours today!