First Nation To Shun Any Trans Mountain Pipeline Review

A First Nations chief has declared that no outcome from the National Energy Board’s review of the Trans Mountain expansion project will satisfy his people because they want the project stopped forever.

The Province quotes the president of the Union of B.C. Chiefs, Stewart Philip, as saying “The short answer is no,” when asked about the kind of review process that would make him happy. The comment was made after the Union of B.C. Chiefs along with environmental organizations and local politicians called on the NEB to make more time for the second review of the project, ordered by a federal court earlier this year.

The Financial Post quotes Chief Philip as saying the Trans Mountain expansion would be a “stinker” that will make climate change--which is already affecting B.C. adversely--worse. If, however, part of the opponents to the project refuse to accept any review of the project as satisfactory, why should the NEB waste time on a second review—focusing on the impact of the expanded pipeline on marine life—at all.

This is the latest update on a saga that has stretched years, and there is no end in sight. The pipe that would have tripled the amount of crude Albertan producers send west has become such a point of contention between supporters and opponents, it even plunged Alberta and B.C. into their own little trade war. It only lasted a short time, but the provinces are still at odds on the issue.

The federal government also became the subject of criticism--and from both sides no less--because it approved the project to the chagrin of opponents, but failed to do anything meaningful to get it moving forward, according to supporters. In May this year, Ottawa bought the project from Kinder Morgan, which became fed up with waiting for a final decision one way or the other, and is currently seeking buyers who would foot the bill if the expansion ever gets underway.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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