Keystone pipeline spill heightens Carry The Kettle Cega'kin Nakoda First Nation (Cega'kin) concerns about aging TC Energy pipelines crossing their Reserve Lands

REGINA, SK, Dec. 14, 2022 /CNW/ - Carry The Kettle Cega'kin Nakoda First Nation (Cega'kin) within Treaty 4 Territory, is aware that Calgary based TC Energy shut down its Keystone Pipeline on December 7, 2022 due to a leak of more than 14,000 barrels of crude oil into Kansas Creek. For years, the Citizens and Leadership of our Nation have been gravely concerned about TC Energy's aging pipelines in our community and the potential for catastrophic failure, serious accidents and malfunctions, leaks and contamination.

Seven high-pressure transmission pipeline lines cut through the Carry The Kettle Cega'kin Nakoda First Nation's reserve lands and community. Six of the lines are operated by TC Energy (or TC Affiliates), including the Keystone Pipeline, which transports crude oils and liquids. Several of these pipelines, including the Keystone Pipeline were built over 60 years ago when environmental assessments and regulations were in their infancy in Canada. "I've been following the Keystone Pipeline oil spill story closely because this segment of the Keystone Pipeline was supposed to have used state of the art construction and monitoring standards to prevent serious incidents such as this. This serious accident validates and heightens our Citizens' fears about the far older class of pipelines literally running by the front doors of many our families' homes" states Chief Scott Eashappie.

The TC Energy pipelines located on Carry The Kettle Cega'kin Nakoda First Nation lands were also built at a time when Canada did not have a legal duty to consult First Nations, adequately consider the inherent, Treaty and Aboriginal rights of Carry The Kettle Cega'kin Nakoda First Nation or seek our informed consent.

Chief Scott Eashappie adds, "In this era of rights recognition and reconciliation, we cannot continue business as usual practices, where the financial interests of industry and government are allowed to take precedence over the safety, lives and needs of our Citizens. Under modern rules, those pipelines would not have been allowed to occupy our lands". In 2019, the Nation forwarded documents to TC Energy and federal agencies about reported correlations between older classes of pipelines and pipeline coatings and serious incidents resulting in ignition, explosions and fires and the community's demand for investigation and action. 

Eashappie concludes, "The Kansas Creek incident should act as a warning to the public at large that increased diligence is required more than ever with pipeline operations. Enhanced pipeline safety measures, standards and remedial actions are required for TC's Pipelines on our reserve to reduce the unacceptable risk factors facing our Citizens. We are a sovereign Nation and we will take the necessary steps to hold pipeline operators and Crown agencies to account and to apply a standard of safety which is acceptable to the Carry The Kettle Cega'kin Nakoda First Nation".

SOURCE Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation

Carry The Kettle Cega'kin Nakoda First Nation: Chief Scott Eashappie at [phone] / [email protected] or Matthew General at [phone] / [email protected]