Policy Text:
Where event based modelling has shown that a spill from a petroleum pipeline system reaching a tributary would be a significant drinking water threat , the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks should work with facility owners and provincial and federal regulators to develop, review and recommend necessary improvements to existing spill prevention, spill management, risk reduction, and contingency plans to ensure the following:
a) plans are based on the depth of ground cover at surface water crossings;
b) spill response time frames are established;
c) responsibilities of first responders are established to ensure a prompt unified regulatory command structure to manage the spill response;
d) notification protocols are established jointly with the Spills Action Centre to ensure direct notification to all potentially affected water treatment plant operators and appropriate communication to the public and media;
e) notification protocols are established for significant threat activities to ensure the water plant operators are notified appropriately for a given magnitude of spill;
f) that information is communicated to all responsible parties (e.g., the originators of the spill, emergency response/clean-up personnel, medical officer of health, municipal water owner and water operating authority) who are responding to the spill;
g) that there are appropriate spills response plans for each crossing;
h) that appropriate pipeline system failure and shut down measures and policies are included;
i) a review is undertaken on the depth of ground cover over the pipeline at each crossing, including an assessment of erosion and flood risk;
j) that the facility owner provides assurance concerning the integrity of their infrastructure to prevent spills where these could be a significant drinking water threat;
k) that a report on the inspection of the pipeline crossings at each tributary is provided to the Source Protection Authority;
l) that the pipeline design and operational best management practices are in place (including potential additional design and operational best management practices);
m) that any new or expansions or pipeline replacements are constructed to meet current best design criteria; and
n) a provision is included in the contingency plan that the facility owner work with the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management to ensure that testing of the contingency plan is carried out within 3 years of the Source Protection Plan coming into effect, followed by regular (frequency and priority to be determined in consultation) emergency response preparedness exercises to address the significant threats identified.
Timeline:
T-15: The policy shall be considered within 2 years from the date the Source Protection Plan takes effect.