The owner of a pipeline that had a massive leak last Friday in northern Alberta says air quality near the site is good, but the premier and nearby residents are voicing concerns about the spill.
Premier Ed Stelmach did not say specifically which concerns he had with Plains Midstream Canada, but said the company won't be allowed to reopen its Rainbow pipeline until the provinces' strict conditions are met.
Last Friday's spill of about 28,000 barrels of crude oil has resulted in the closing of a nearby school in the First Nations community of Little Buffalo.
Stelmach said the government will hold the company's "feet to the fire" to make sure the cleanup and repairs meet provincial standards.
He also said the Little Buffalo community must be assured the pipeline is safe.
Mike Hallahan, vice-president with Plains Midstream Canada, did not take questions from reporters Thursday but gave an update.
"Although there is an odour at the release site, the monitors at the site have detected no hydrocarbon levels above Alberta Ambient Air Quality Guidelines, and no negative health effects have been reported by workers on site to date," he said.
Hallahan said the company was monitoring air levels in Little Buffalo as well.
"These monitors have been in place since Monday and have detected no hydrocarbon levels whatsoever. We will continue monitoring air quality at the release site and in surrounding areas," Hallahan said.
With files from The Canadian Press
