A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Plains Midstream Canada over the oil spill into the Red Deer River and Gleniffer Lake.
Representing 30 plaintiffs, the Merchant Law Group filed the suit on Friday, seeking $75 million in damages.
On June 7, up to 3,000 barrels (475,000 litres) of light sour crude oil was released into the Red Deer River from a ruptured Plains Midstream pipeline about one kilometre north of Sundre.
The oil from the spill made its way to Gleniffer Lake — a popular recreational area southwest of Red Deer.
Suzanne and Darin Rieger, an Airdrie couple, identified as plaintiffs in the suit, own two lots near Gleniffer Lake. It says the Riegers were trying to sell their two lots at the Carefree RV resort on the reservoir. The couple was hoping to get between $119,000 and $169,000 before the leak happened.
Regina-based lawyer Tony Merchant says the firm has had three different groups contact them. The first claim has to do with the loss of property. The second involves the loss in property values — the largest claim cumulatively, Merchant said.
The third claim comes from businesses that depend on the good reputation of the area, Merchant said.
“So people who run campgrounds, people who facilitate vacationing in the area.”
The age of the Plains pipeline, built in 1966, along with the allegation of negligence are the basis of the claim, Merchant said.
None of the allegations has been proven in court.
Meanwhile, the Gleniffer Reservoir Provincial Recreation area facilities remain closed until the spill is cleaned up, says Alberta Tourism Parks and Recreation public affairs officer Susan Johnson.
The following facilities are closed: Cottonwood day use area, Dickson Point Campground, North Dyke Campgrounds, North Valley day use area, South Dyke Campground and the South Valley day use area.
“There are a lot of vehicles being used in co-operation with the clean-up and people trying to work,” Johnson said.
“And we didn’t need the added presence of the public trying to go in there and recreate. It would be very noisy with the clean-up, it wouldn’t be quiet and serene anyway.”
Johnson says they are working with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, which as been monitoring the area.
“There doesn’t seem to be any impact on the water fowl or the fish,” she said.
Sixteen days after the spill, Plains Midstream continues to contain and clean-up oil using skimmers, booms and absorbent materials.
jjones@www.reddeeradvocate.com