CKNW News Staff | Email news tips to nwnews@cknw.com
8/17/2012
A newspaper mogul wants to be an oil man.
David Black is proposing a 13-billion dollar oil refinery in Kitimat, to process all of the oil from the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline.
Black says processed oil is safer for transport than crude, and his refinery would create thousands of jobs.
He admits, refining oil isn't the industry's first choice - but it is economically viable.
Black's "Kitimat Clean" proposal is now going for Environmental Assessment.
Ben West with the Western Canada Wilderness Committee doubts the proposal will sway public opinion on Northern Gateway.
"Of course, if you look at the pipeline itself, nothing about all the risk to the various rivers and streams along the pipeline route would change. The tarsands oil that could spill in a river could do the exact same thing that happened in Michigan."
Meanwhile, a member of the Coastal First Nations has fired at Black over his proposal.
Executive Director, Art Sterritt says Black's idea to refine the crude before it gets shipped overseas doesn't ease any environmental concerns.
"There's a huge difference, Art, between shipping heavy crude offshore and refined products offshore, as you know. All those communities along the coast are receiving tankers every week, carrying gasoline and diesel. It's been the case for about 100 years. Without those tankers of gasoline and diesel, those villages wouldn't exist there."
Sterritt also asked Black whether he had approached any First Nations on his desire.
Black said he had spoken with two groups, but only informally, and they did not support him.
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