Ethics After an Oil Spill

In 2011, an oil pipeline owned by the energy company Enbridge sprung a leak near the town of Wrigley in the Canadian Northwest Territory. The citizens of Wrigley maintain a traditional style of life that depends on the health of local forests and waterways. Environmental protection isnt just a question of principle for the people of Wrigley; its a matter of survival. Enbridge devised a detailed cleanup plan - a complex technical document 600 pages long. When the company offered $5,000 so that the community could hire its own experts to evaluate the plan, locals were offended by such a tiny payment. This was a significant blow to Enbridges image, coming shortly after another Enbridge pipeline ruptured in Michigan. And at the same time, Enbridge was in the midst of trying to win approval for a new project in the face of opposition from environmental groups.

The company faced a number of difficult issues in the wake of the Wrigley spill. First, Enbridge had to clean up the spilled oil. Then, they had to consider the issue of remediation the restoration the polluted land back to something like its original state. Further, there was the question of compensation to the local community for the pollution and loss of use of some of their traditional hunting grounds. All of this was set against a backdrop of controversy surrounding the impact that oil pipelines have on the lands and communities through which they run.

Questions:

1. What do you think motivated the companys decision to offer the community $5,000 to hire its own expert? Why do you think the community was insulted? If you were the companys local manager, what would you have done?
2. What facts would be helpful to you, as an outsider, in evaluating the companys behavior after the spill?
3. What values are involved in this situation? How would Enbridge answer that question, internally? How would the people of Wrigley answer that question, if asked?
4. Did Enbridge have obligations that went beyond cleaning up the area directly affected by the spill from the companys pipeline? Were they obligated to offer the $5,000? Consider the suggestion made by a member of the community, that Enbridge should donate money to build a swimming pool or hockey arena for local kids. Would a donation of this kind help to satisfy the companys obligations to the community?

5. Describe the purpose of the study and the specific questions you are trying to answer.