In a final written submission to the National Energy Board (NEB) on Monday, the provincial government announced it would not support the hotly-debated proposal based on Kinder Morgan’s failure to prove it would meet stringent “world leading” oil spill safety requirements.
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The $6.8 billion Trans Mountain project involves twinning its existing 1,150-kilometre pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to its terminal in Burnaby to increase pipeline capacity to 890,000 barrels a day from 300,000.
The National Energy Board, Kinder Morgan and Mary Polak’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In December 2015, Trans Mountain filed its final argument with the National Energy Board, a summary of the many thousands of pages of evidence presented and the culmination of more than three years of environmental and technical studies, engineering and design work as well as engagement with communities, stakeholders, landowners and Aboriginal groups and becomes a part of the extensive regulatory process that has been underway since 2013.
Legal requirements regarding Aboriginal and treaty rights are addressed, and First Nations are provided with the opportunities, information and resources necessary to participate in and benefit from a heavy-oil project.
“This is about the test that they need to meet and we think world-leading response in both those areas in an appropriate test”, Polak explained.
“British Columbia has restated its position that it wants five conditions met before a pipeline is built”, said Notley’s spokeswoman, Cheryl Oates, in a statement.
Similarly, it’s unlikely Ottawa will take the political heat for the TMX expansion if B.C. isn’t willing to support it. Polak said Ottawa supports B.C.’s conditions.
In the conclusion, the province acknowledges the $100-million plan Kinder Morgan has to augment the spill response capabilities of Western Canada Marine Response Corporation, the company tasked with cleaning up oil spills on the West Coast. “Of course they have their conditions laid out but if you read through their submission they say if these conditions are met, they will approve the pipeline”, added. These included sound recommendation from the NEB review panel, a fair share of fiscal and economic benefits for B.C. and Indigenous people, and world-leading marine oil spill response, prevention and recovery systems.
Monday’s government announcement was applauded by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, who described the decision as “very welcome news” in a statement.
“These are real conditions, they’re not a straw man put up to make sure no one can ever meet them”, she said.
Richard Johnston, a political science professor at the University of B.C., said the province’s submission is a “warning shot” that will enhance the importance of the federal pipeline review. It’s the only line that runs oil from Alberta to the B.C. Coast.
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She says the conditions are the basis for defending BC’s interests for the environment, First Nations and benefits to the province.
