Washington, D.C.—Today, the British Columbia government in Canada announced that it will propose regulatory measures to restrict the increased transport of bitumen while a scientific panel determines the impacts of spills on ocean environments.
In response, Greenpeace USA Tar Sands Campaigner Rachel Rye Butler said:
“British Columbia’s proposal of what is essentially a temporary moratorium on new bitumen exports is welcome news for the Pacific Northwest, which is currently under threat from increased oil tanker traffic from the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline. We are encouraged by this action by the British Columbia government and its effort to protect marine life and the jobs and local economies its coast supports. As we await tonight’s State of the Union address, this announcement is a reminder that local governments, wherever they may be, still have the right to protect their environment and the power to fight back against detrimental national policy.
“A tanker spill on the ocean, like the Paris-sized spill caused by the Sanchi tanker earlier this month,would be virtually impossible to clean up and the impacts could last decades. That is why efforts must be taken to keep the U.S. and Canadian coastlines oil free by preventing the Kinder Morgan pipeline from being built. The proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline project would bring more than 400 tankers to the Pacific Northwest each year, posing a significant risk to the region’s natural habitat in the event of a tanker spill.
“Today’s decision is a major blow to Kinder Morgan as it would be incredibly difficult for the project to proceed if the scientific panel finds that spilled bitumen cannot be safely cleaned up. This should be a warning sign to pipeline funders like JPMorgan Chase, TD Bank, and Barclays: This project is riddled with risks which all but likely will lead to delay and uncertainty. Those bankrolling the Kinder Morgan pipeline should pay close attention to today’s news and stop investing billions into projects that continue to face strong public opposition and controversy.”
Contact: Yianni Varonis [email protected] 330-806-3599
