Space Industry and Business News  
OIL AND GAS
Activists vow 'resistance' as courts to rule on Canada pipeline
By Deborah Jones
Vancouver (AFP) Oct 19, 2017


Activists have stepped up efforts to block an expanded pipeline from reaching Canada's West Coast, preparing for "resistance" if court challenges fail.

While oil companies in the world's sixth-largest producer count on the courts' support, environmental and indigenous activists are prepared for the worst: that the permit to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline will be upheld.

Greenpeace held a "pipeline resistance camp" on using kayaks to block massive oil tankers from navigating local waters off the heavily-forested, rainswept region sacred to indigenous peoples.

Activist Tzeporah Berman pointed to the thousands of Canadians who have said "we'll do whatever it takes to stop this pipeline."

Kayaker Lois Canright said she is prepared to "float in front of these tankers and say 'No... you've put enough tankers on these waters."

At a rally in downtown Vancouver after a federal court hearing last week, several hundred people chanted: "I pledge to stop the pipeline in the courts, on land, and in the water."

"I've never done civil disobedience in my life, but I will stand against Kinder Morgan," the pipeline operator, said Vancouver city councilor Adrianne Carr after making the pledge.

Canada's National Energy Board in May recommended approving twinning of the 1,150 kilometer (715 mile) Trans Mountain project, with 157 conditions.

But numerous parties have challenged the project in court.

Eventual rulings on the Trans Mountain pipeline to Vancouver are expected to have a major impact on Canada's oil industry -- in particular on its ability to dramatically boost exports to Asian markets.

"These court challenges are the greatest threat to the Trans Mountain project," said George Hoberg, professor of environmental and natural resource policy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

"If the Federal Court of Appeal strikes down the permit authorizing the project, that's likely to kill the pipeline," he told AFP in an email.

The industry faces volatile global oil prices as well as national political and environmental disputes.

This fall, TransCanada Corporation cancelled the Can$15.7-billion (US$12.5 billion) Energy East pipeline project from Alberta to the Atlantic coast, citing low oil prices. The project was also affected by a new federal government requirement to factor carbon emissions into project environmental reviews.

- Orcas and oil spills -

The legal issue now dogging the western project is the way governments approved Texas energy giant Kinder Morgan's plan to nearly triple capacity on its 1,150-kilometer (715-mile) Trans Mountain pipeline.

If expanded, the line would carry 890,000 barrels of bitumen per day from the Alberta oil sands through rugged British Columbia. In metro Vancouver the product would be loaded onto tankers, then shipped to Asia.

Proponents argued in a federal court hearing that ended October 13 that the project is in Canada's national interest -- a key criterion for assessing major projects -- and meets environmental standards.

But opponents that include several municipal governments, British Columbia's ruling coalition of leftist and environmental parties, as well as environmental groups and indigenous tribes, said an increase in tankers in local waters would harm an already-endangered population of orcas.

They also cited risk of an oil spill that could not be cleaned.

Their lawyers further argued that the pipeline's downstream carbon emissions -- now a factor in any new reviews -- should be re-considered for Trans Mountain, especially as Canada promised reductions in the Paris climate accord.

The foes and supporters also disagree on whether the assessment had sufficiently consulted indigenous people, as is required by a series of landmark rulings by Canada's top court.

Canadian pipelines fall mostly under federal court jurisdiction, but next week the British Columbia Supreme Court will hear another challenge of provincial environmental permits given to Kinder Morgan by the previous conservative government, which was ousted in a May general election.

The Squamish Nation, an indigenous group, will ask the British Columbia court to quash or review the permits on the grounds the Squamish were not consulted, said chief Ian Campbell.

Both the federal and British Columbia courts are expected to take months to issue their decisions.

Experts say that whatever the rulings, they're likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada.

And if the courts okay the project, environmental and aboriginal groups have vowed to continue fighting construction of the pipeline.

Hoberg predicted: "If the pipeline survives judicial challenge, there will be an intense period of on-the-ground conflict much like the one that occurred at Standing Rock in the United States."

dkj/amc/it

TransCanada

KINDER MORGAN INC.

OIL AND GAS
More drilling expected in the North Sea; No disruptions from Ophelia
Washington (UPI) Oct 16, 2017
The Norwegian government said Monday it signed off on new plans for oil drilling and exploration work in the national waters of the North Sea. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said it gave Statoil approval to drill an exploration well in the shallow waters of North Sea. Drilling starts in November and will run for about 99 days, depending on whether or not the company makes a discove ... read more

Related Links
All About Oil and Gas News at OilGasDaily.com


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

OIL AND GAS
Understanding rare earth emulsions

Missing link between new topological phases of matter discovered

Space radiation won't stop NASA's human exploration

Saab upgrading Norwegian radars under NATO contract

OIL AND GAS
82nd Airborne tests in-flight communication system for paratroopers

SES GS to Provide More MEO-enabled SATCOM Solutions for U.S. Government

L3 satellite terminals for Air National Guard

Asia-Pacific nation orders Harris communications gear, network

OIL AND GAS
OIL AND GAS
Lockheed Martin's first GPS III Satellite receives green light from Air Force

exactEarth Announces Agreement with Alltek Marine to Expand Small Vessel Tracking Service Offering

BeiDou navigation to cover Belt and Road countries by 2018

China's BeiDou-3 satellites get new chips

OIL AND GAS
Peraton to help sustain DHS, TSA screening equipment

Afghan air force gets its own Black Hawk choppers

Trudeau warns Trump in Bombardier, Boeing row

F-35 stealth fighter data stolen in Australia defence hack

OIL AND GAS
India's TCS profits fall amid weak growth in retail, banking

Quantum communications bend to our needs

Newly-discovered semiconductor dynamics may help improve energy efficiency

A flexible new platform for high-performance electronics

OIL AND GAS
Ocean clams, worms release surprisingly large amounts of greenhouse gas

Satellite transmissions cease, no impact to weather mission

China launches remote sensing satellite for Venezuela

Sentinel-5P poised for liftoff

OIL AND GAS
Scientists trace path of inland plastic pollution from rivers to oceanw/ll

Air pollution kills over 500,000 Europeans a year: report

Polluted lake is poor Nicaraguans' lifeline

Olympics: Tokyo 2020 water venue polluted









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.