Local residents opposed to Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion plan are raising questions about what safety plans are in place at schools along the pipeline route. Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline runs beneath Stoney Creek Community School in east Burnaby.

"It's ironic that Kinder Morgan is holding their information session at Stoney Creek Community School this Saturday, given the risk their pipeline poses to that school in the event of an earthquake," said Elsie Dean, a founding member of BROKE - Burnaby Residents Opposed to Kinder Morgan Expansion. "B.C. schools have good seismic emergency plans, but schools close to oil pipelines or oil tank farms have no such plans for emergencies or leaks," said Dean.

There are two school district properties in the current pipeline's right-of-way, Stoney Creek is one, and the second is likely Lyndhurst Elementary, but despite repeated calls and emails, the school district was not able to confirm that by deadline.

Burnaby resident Don Osborne has two young girls attending at Stoney Creek Elementary, and he was unaware that a pipeline runs beneath his daughters' school.

"I would think there would be some kind of disclosure from the school. By all means, I would want to know what the safety contingency plans are. The school seems to have a pretty organized safety procedure," he said, adding he would like to know if there are any environmental concerns related to the pipeline. "With (the) earthquake related thing, that would be my question, what kind of risk is there? Is it flammable stuff? If it ruptured could it set the school ion fire."

BROKE isn't the only organization raising the issue of schools and pipelines; the Burnaby Teachers' Association also has concerns.

"Teachers in Burnaby, to the best of my knowledge, have not received any health and safety training or specific evacuation training to respond to any oil spills or exposure to these highly toxic chemicals," said association president James Sanyshyn. "The BTA will be raising this issue with our senior administration and trustees and pushing for detailed response plans at all affected schools. Ignorance is no defence - schools must be prepared for the worst case scenarios."

Kinder Morgan is planning Burnaby's first information session on the pipeline expansion plan at Stoney Creek Community School on Saturday, Nov. 24 from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Wilderness Committee is also raising concerns about pipelines and schools, pointing to the U.S., where a Nevada mother launched a lawsuit against Kinder Morgan recently.

According to a press release from the committee, the suit alleges that "Kinder Morgan failed to adequately monitor and repair a pipeline that was leaking jet fuel into the ground beneath a school playground over a decade ago. Evidence suggests that this leak contributed to a number of childhood cancer cases at the school, and to the 2008 death of 10-year-old cancer victim Ryan Brune."

Wilderness Committee spokesperson Ben West called the case a great tragedy.

"It's exactly the type of tragedy we need to prevent from happening here in B.C.," he said. "With Kinder Morgan holding info sessions at several elementary and secondary schools in the province, we hope this news will serve as a warning to local residents about the threats posed by pipelines running through highly populated communities."

Kinder Morgan is planning to twin the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has been running oil from Alberta to Burnaby since 1953. The company hopes to twin the existing line, more than doubling capacity from 300,000 barrels of oil per day to 750,000, along the existing right-of-way where possible.

According to Kinder Morgan and the school district's secretary-treasurer, Greg Frank, the company is looking for alternate routes.

"I believe we were informed some time back that the sites that their pipe expansion may approach were now going to be re-routed. We have attempted to get updated information from Kinder Morgan and as yet they have not responded," Frank said in an email to the NOW.

Kinder Morgan is still looking at various route options in Burnaby and will likely have more information in the coming months.

This article also appeared in The Province and Vancouver Sun.

Photo: Courtesy of PIPE UP Network.