Raising Awareness and Promoting a Community Discussion
In Memory of my Grandmothers
Pipeline Safety Trust Speech – New Orleans, Nov 20th 2014
Thank you for your interest in Enbridge Line 9. My name is Emily Ferguson and I created L9C in March 2013 in an attempt to help raise awareness about the quiet oil pipeline proposal. I am not paid by or affiliated with any environmental organization, interest group, or political lobby and I maintain this website on a volunteer basis. My intention is to start a discussion about energy issues in a respectful manner.
What started as a casual interest in Line 9 turned into a full scale project when I realized the pipeline slipped right through the small community where I grew up. When I revisited my elementary school playground in Glenburnie, ON and could see the Line 9 pipeline marker less than 200m away, my curiosity about the extraction, transportation, and refining of oil became stronger than ever. Since then, I have traveled to North Dakota to learn about the Bakken shale formation and Fort McMurray to see the impact of the Oil Sands first hand.
Photo Credit: Jessica McDiarmid / Toronto Star
I believe in the strength of communities coming together and the power of people uniting over a common cause. As the L9C mission continues, I can’t help but reflect on how amazing the ride has been so far. The concern, hard work, passion, and optimism of citizens all along the line has inspired me beyond all expectations. The loss of both of my grandmothers during the project has given me strength to fight for what is right in their memory and work toward a brighter future for my own grandchildren.
As a first time Intervenor in the National Energy Board process, I had a lot to learn. The experience taught me so much about the industry and regulatory processes. Although the NEB approved the Line 9 project – with conditions – on March 6th, 2014, there is much more work to be done. I will continue to maintain the L9C website and work every day to help raise awareness and promote community discussions.
My intention is to provide the information. I leave it up to you to come to your own conclusions. Enjoy the site!
As always, do not hesitate to contact me.
Highlights
Click thumbnails below to access some of the most popular L9C pages.
Reflections on Line 9
Line 9B Application Summary & Concerns
Local Maps – Satellite and Road
Pipeline Integrity – List of Cracks, Corrosion, Dents
The Speech – My Final Argument to the NEB at Toronto Hearing
My Story – How I got involved in Enbridge Line 9
Questions / Comments / Suggestions?
Email: line9communities@gmail.com
Twitter: @L9Communities and @eco_emily
Together, we’ll make a difference!
Line 9 Communities 
A small flyer in my mailbox yesterday was the first I had heard of Enbrdge’s proposed changes to the pipeline located a mile up the road from me. I am amazed that something like this could move so quickly and quietly through the various stages of proposal, acceptance and implementation.
I do not know what action should be taken to indicate my concern, or indeed if any action on my part would matter, but I wish to be included in any group of citizens speaking out against our not being included in what could potentially be a great danger to us, our homes, the water table, flora and fauna in the vicinity of the pipeline.
I live on Cole Hill Road in Gleburnie, and so am one of the closest residents to the local portion of the pipeline.
Sincerely,
Audrey Gavaghan.
You will notice that the major media players do not cover this except for Sun News, which is a propaganda machine for big oil. One has to ask why that is? I bet if you follow the money trail the answer will be obvious. News companies are in bed with corporations, and corporations are in bed with the government and they don’t want us to know what the plans are. They are afraid to deal with the public outcry. Why has Harper silenced his scientists, ministries and caucus? Hmmmm! Food for thought.
Our response is very similar to Ms Gavaghhan’s (above). We also have questions as to what guarantees the Government will make that any future problems will carry 100% compensation. When an infrastructure construction is executed for the economic benefit of all Canadians, the cost should also be born by all Canadians. That is an accepted principle. Are there any appropriate guarantees? Which government is mostly involved, federal or provincial? What responsibility will Enbridge carry? Will environmental assessments be required, and if not, why not? We could go on, but hope that the Kingston City Council will take this issue up forthwith.
Dolf and Jeri Harmsen – Unity Rd, Glenburnie.
I am also a Glenburnie resident, on a well with a young family. It’s one thing providing maintenance on a preexisting pipeline, but to put added stress and possibly increase it’s toxic cocktail while stating current monitoring methods require high leakage is horrible.
Presuming a line break; our surrounding agricultural land would be lost, our water table effected to the point of being untreatable and the human effects on small concentrations could go undetected by Enbridge without a proactive plan. Effects such as serious eye damage, irritation to the digestive tract, and sensitivity to skin & respiratory tract are mentioned within some common Drag Reducing Agents. According the the MSDS of Cetyltrimethlyammonium cloride (CTAC), a reducing agent, toxicology has not been fully investigated. Human symptoms could take years to present themselves and the likelihood of confirming health causes to a pipeline leak is unrealistic.
Environmentally speaking, the pipeline travels through two United Nations Signification Important sites, The Rideau Canal (waterway) and the Frontenac Arch Biosphere (FABN), both have been globally recognized for their historical and ecologically importance to the world. The Rideau Canal receives international visitors each year, promotes environmental activities and provides a living history, while FABN hosts two migration routes both land & aquatic and is a convergent point of 5 forests housing endangered & threatened animals; SO IMPORTANT that in Autumn 2013 50+ delegates from Europe and surrounding countries will be visiting and celebrating this regions uniqueness.
Should Enbridge continue it’s plan, what are the preventative measures? Will there be quarterly groundwater testing to ensure local, groundwater supply dependent residents are protected from contamination? At the lease, the closest homes and multilevel water tables should be monitored for changes in groundwater chemistry, this also providing a bases of ‘natural’ conditions prior to changes in pipeline contents? Being exempted from environmental assessment; where/when will the cost comparison be done for rehabilitating (possible) contaminated land and water table (decades to centuries to rehabilitate) to the region, relocating residents or providing potable water to their homes without homeowner expense?
As a mother, I strive to limit toxic exposure for my growing children, which many studies have verified are highly susceptible to toxins resulting in long term health complications. The Glenburnie community is strong, sustainable and a desired greater Kingston location due to its proximity and rural/agriculture surroundings. It would be a great shame to risk it all to people (Enbridge) who live away from and are not connected to our regions local and global importance.
I am the Property Manager of Glenhaven memorial Gardens in Glenburnie and have been since 1980. I have worked hard in the community to maintain the property to its fullest and to its spectacular beauty in which it is today all with all co-workers.
i feel this pipe line will threaten all the nature it has to offer here if there happens to be any kind of disaster from a pipe line that has not been maintained and not only that more pressure being forced through and old system since 1976.
We are all accountable for what could happen as a reult of the system failure.
I must oppose this project as i have responsiblility to the families I serve each and everyday.
Glenhaven has much to offer not only to our loved ones that are placed in my care but the residents of the community as well.
The pipe line needs a complete overhaul and if not it will happen, destroy nature, put toxins in our water supply. The government should learn from the last disaster and clean up their act.
Jacqueline L. Brant
Tekayentaneken Kyenkahaka Ohwentysa Teki:teron
I oppose Enbridge’s proposed changes to it’s pipeline.
I live in South Portland, Maine and we are the end of pipeline 9, the Portland – Montreal pipeline. We have formed a group called Protect South Portland and we are fighting the reversal of the pipeline in our community as well. With regulations including a land use ordinance we hope to stop the building of the 70 foot stacks for the combustion unit that would be needed to export Alberta tar sands. We hope to plug the line so it won’t pump through your towns either! We are an all volunteer group and we are very busy right now working with our city council to stand up to ExxonMobil and the American Petroleum Institute to stop this reversal.
On November 5, 2013 we lost a vote that would have put into place an ordinance that would have stopped the pipeline. We only lost by just under 200 votes and ExxonMobil spent over $800,000.00 to defeat us. We haven’t give up. We will stop tar sands in this pipeline. We are a small group but we are fierce!
I am responsible for our website and I am working on it now so it is not ready for traffic, but if you would like to be on our newsletter list please feel free to email me and I will add you!
Keep strong up there, we will keep the power of the people strong here to stop this devastating plan for the profit of some at the cost that is much too high for us and out planet.
protectsouthportland@gmail.com
-Crystal Goodrich
When Metrolinx first envisioned the expansion of the rail corridor through my neighbourhood in Toronto (Weston) I did a similar Google map view of the rail corridor and saw just how many sensitive locations the trains would pass and how much pollution they would cause to those sensitive locations and the cancer sensors that are located in those locations. The cancer sensors by the way are humans and the sensitive locations are schools, old age homes, hospitals, etc. It was interesting that the environmental assessment called people “cancer sensors” and groups of vulnerable people “sensitive locations”.
Anyway that fight is but over and Metrolinx has basically won the right to makes us all cancer sensors to fulfill its mandate of getting business travelers downtown from Pearson. I truly believe this Union/Pearson rail link will turn out to be a complete White Elephant and we will be paying for it for decades to come both monetarily and healthwise.
There is also another disturbing trend of shipping jet fuel by rail afoot. If you do a similar Google map search using the satellite option you can see again that the jet fuel will pass some very sensitive locations. At one point withing 300 meters of a nuclear plant in Southern Ontario. I wonder how many municipal fire departments are even aware that jet fuel is being carried along a rail line that is so close to some very sensitive locations. Like the fracked oil, I think that the jet fuel transportation by train is a ticking bomb due to the volatility of the cargo involved and is a prime target for terrorists.
I am glad to see that there is a challenge to the Energy Board Rules for public comment. The same should be done to challenge the changes to the EA rules by the government. I hope the courts rule in favour of the environmentalists.
Thank you for making us all more aware of Line 9 and how it may impact our daily lives.
As a community, together we are strong.
Greetings Line9 Community. Although I do not live near you I have many concerns regarding the transportation of Alberta crude oil. The threat of this resource has also become a very serious issue here in BC, not only through pipelines but also the threat of VLCC’s (Very Large Crude Carriers) here on the coast of British Columbia. There is a lot of discussion concerning pipelines for example the KXL and Line9, which have been given much exposure in the media.
All too often I think, the media rarely pays attention to the movement of tankers, that can and will if approved, carry over 3 million barrels of crude oil along the coast of BC, in each of the proposed 450+ tankers per year. My concern here is not so much as to who is taking the greater risk, but more so that we all should be concerned about our issues concerning crude oil and it’s many avenues of transport, all in a single united front.
I personally share my concerns regarding crude oil on Twitter, where I can find a few others with the same concerns, but rarely do I see the Line9 Community speaking on this issue. In fact I rarely see people from BC sharing their concerns regarding tankers or pipelines. It is my hope that soon I will find a way to unite us all on Twitter where we can have more of an effect on our politicians and our media to get the information out in the open so that we can at least feel like our words are not falling on deaf ears.
If any of you are on Twitter please follow me and I will do the same for you and maybe we can have a stronger presence and voice on social media. I think this important so that we can support each other.
Thank you for keeping us informed. We live less than a km from Line9, and have already, several years ago been evacuated due to a leak in the gas line, which fortunately did not burn or explode. The oil pipeline is old and not designed for the pressure needed for what is planned now.
So, yes we are worried about a probable high-handed deal between governments and the oil industry. The concept of moving Alberta crude all the way to an Atlantic harbor is o.k., but the proposed manner of using old pipelines designed for lighter traffic is wrong, and much of the risk would be externalized onto the thousands of people who live near the line and will have no benefit, only potential disaster. When the cost/benfit analysis for a new line9 is done, we must insist that costs borne by those who live nearby must be taken into account, such as loss of property value and risk of being affected by an accident.
Hello @webwildink, this is Protect South Portland – from South Portland, Maine. We are working to prevent the passing of tar sands oil through the Portland – Montreal pipeline to South Portland, Maine so the aging pipeline cannot be used for a reversal project. I have just joined twitter for our group, I have just followed you! Do you have other suggested people/groups to follow so we can keep up with information about Line 9 activities?
Thanks!
Crystal – The other end of Line 9, South Portland, ME (Portland – Montreal Pipeline)
@protectsopo
Hi Crystal,
My name is Jocelyne and I live in Longueuil, on the Montréal’s South Shore, in Québec. A citizen’s movement has been initiated here in an effort to stop the transportation of tar sands oil (by rail or by pipeline) proposed by Enbridge. We are just starting up and my initial reaction was to go see what was being done in Portland, seeing that you are at the end of the line. I see that there is also a Stop LIne 9 program going on in Toronto (where I lived for 27 years). So I will obviously be reading up on all that is being done in Toronto, in Montréal and in Portland and report it to our citizen’s group. Please check also what was just done in Dunham, Québec, by their Environmental Committee, re: the pumping station there. They have just blocked the Enbridge’s efforts in their own way.
Hello Emily, thank you for the information on line 9, it been helpful, I have been trying to protect our Parks Creek Wetland Complex, and Trout Lake, where are clean drinking water comes out of. The Energy East Pipeline wants approval from our City of North Bay, Ontario, to covert a old gas pipeline to this dilbit pipeline from Alberta to the East coast. The Government wants the revenues from this pipeline. The People want a health environment and clean drinking water!
The Two Row Wampum Treaty North America’s first comprehensive inter-civilizational accord -1613 – still gives natives and settlers clout vis-à-vis local, provincial, national governments ( we used it to be heard in QC City and ally our basic concerns with not only activists but also City of Montreal). See our trilingual presentation (56 min) on oil addictions to Quebec’s Capern Enbridge Commission Dec 4 2013. Google ” Conseil Traditional Mohawk” and Assemblée Nationale. The womens’ council at MTC like mens’ can hear your special voice. I am a Canadian special liaison at MTC 514 622-1443
I would like to see a map of where exactly the pipeline runs north of London Ont….
Hi Veronica,
Thank you for your comment. You can find maps of Line 9 north of London here – https://line9communities.com/line-9a/
Thank you so much for your maps. I am looking for property close to the 401 in Eastern Ontario and this has helped me determine which homes to avoid…. including one that met all my wants and was priced where I wanted it, but the pipeline ran right through the property about 150 feet from the house.
It is very wrong to run a pipeline through such delicate terrain (or any terrain for that matter) – I hope that this can be opposed and stopped.
For anyone to believe at this global ecosystem tipping point that can Earth can withstand further injury from careless human activity vis-a-vis fossil fuels is a fatal error. For those who understand this, it’s time to unite and stand up in defense of life. We have the power of numbers to overwhelm the system. It’s possible to effect change through non-violent direct action/peaceful disobedience. We here in the Finger Lakes region of NY have a growing community of deeply committed citizens who have pledged to defend Seneca Lake from fossil-fuel industrialization and stood up to the authorities, causing 216 arrests by 163 Defenders, (some multiple offenders) overwhelming the courts who ultimately dismissed all the cases “in the interest of justice”.For inspiration see wearesenecalake.com
Sawmill Creek, south of Folkway Drive, near Glen Erin.–Mississauga
I am trying to find info regarding the “possible leak of pollutant” into Sawmill Creek.
Not sure of the pollutant,”, (since I have not examined the material-although it looks like oil scum),
Since last week, 19 Jan 2016, there have been several white floating, (absorbent(?), barriers across the Creek at locations, with highest concentration south of Folkway culvert.
Also, people, including myself, have seen ‘hydro-vac’ trucks at the culvert.
Did not receive my copy of the Mississauga News, last week, (again); have not seen anything in Toronto Star, or, the internet.
More and new barriers on the Creek this morning, Tues, 26 Jan 16.
There are fewer ducks this morning, although they are more spread out and usually leave in mild weather-8C
(Of interest and by coincidence,is that Line 9, passes just on the other side of Folkway, where the Creek disappears underground north of the culvert.)
Will advise if any information is published about the pollution of Sawmill Creek.
Sawmill Creek, south of Folkway Drive, near Glen Erin.–Mississauga
I am trying to find info regarding the “possible leak of pollutant” into Sawmill Creek.
Not sure of the pollutant,”, (since I have not examined the material-although it looks like oil scum),
Since last week, 19 Jan 2016, there have been several white floating, (absorbent(?), barriers across the Creek at locations, with highest concentration south of Folkway culvert.
Also, people, including myself, have seen ‘hydro-vac’ trucks at the culvert.
Did not receive my copy of the Mississauga News, last week, (again); have not seen anything in Toronto Star, or, the internet.
More and new barriers on the Creek this morning, Tues, 26 Jan 16.
There are fewer ducks this morning, although they are more spread out and usually leave in mild weather-8C
(Of interest and by coincidence,is that Line 9, passes just on the other side of Folkway, where the Creek disappears underground north of the culvert.)
Will advise if any information is published about the pollution of Sawmill Creek.