Look to good old Saskatchewan for what can happen when a pipeline leaks into the water supply of numerous towns and cities. The governments response was muted. Where the hell are the fines and the regulations making sure any water crossings are near bullet proof. Not in Saskatchewan because we don't want to upset the oil industry.
For all of you guys who haven't experienced what is like to have the oil industry in your backyard you should know that there are regular leaks and emissions from equipment and lines that are damn annoying and at worst bugger up the soil with saltwater and crude for many years unless it is carefully removed, which is very expensive. Even farmers who work in the patch struggle to get cleanups done in some cases because of companies that don't want to do it.
Lots of the bigger well off farms don't want the oil industry because of all the hassles and relatively low rents they pay.
There are literally thousands of abandoned facilities, roads and wells on the prairies that are left orphaned with casing that passes through fresh water aquifers rotting away. Imagine what happens when the casing gives way and contaminants like salt water, crude and gas can enter.
Yes we need the jobs, but when the oil is all gone we still need the soil, fields, farms and fresh water to produce food for generations. The value of the land and water for food production far exceeds the value of all the oil, because the land will need to produce food for millions of years into the future.
If you don't manage and protect the resources you have in a sustainable way you are depleting the natural capital of future generations.
After all the resource boom years in Saskatchewan what did we really gain? Yes we have a few more unfilled hotels and apartments in the patch. And there are lots of million dollar homes in Estevan, Lloydminister, Regina, and Saskatoon But are we really better off?
Did we really get a lasting legacy of good, secure, family friendly jobs? Nope we got a boom and a bust.
For all of you guys who haven't experienced what is like to have the oil industry in your backyard you should know that there are regular leaks and emissions from equipment and lines that are damn annoying and at worst bugger up the soil with saltwater and crude for many years unless it is carefully removed, which is very expensive. Even farmers who work in the patch struggle to get cleanups done in some cases because of companies that don't want to do it.
Lots of the bigger well off farms don't want the oil industry because of all the hassles and relatively low rents they pay.
There are literally thousands of abandoned facilities, roads and wells on the prairies that are left orphaned with casing that passes through fresh water aquifers rotting away. Imagine what happens when the casing gives way and contaminants like salt water, crude and gas can enter.
Yes we need the jobs, but when the oil is all gone we still need the soil, fields, farms and fresh water to produce food for generations. The value of the land and water for food production far exceeds the value of all the oil, because the land will need to produce food for millions of years into the future.
If you don't manage and protect the resources you have in a sustainable way you are depleting the natural capital of future generations.
After all the resource boom years in Saskatchewan what did we really gain? Yes we have a few more unfilled hotels and apartments in the patch. And there are lots of million dollar homes in Estevan, Lloydminister, Regina, and Saskatoon But are we really better off?
Did we really get a lasting legacy of good, secure, family friendly jobs? Nope we got a boom and a bust.
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