Kinder Morgan has announced it will proceed with a $5billion plan to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline, which runs oil from Alberta to Burnaby.
The pipeline, which handles a maximum of 300,000 barrels per day, will nearly triple capacity to 850,000. Trans Mountain is currently the only pipeline that runs oil products to the West Coast.
"We are still early in the engagement process of the project," said Ian Anderson, president of Kinder Morgan Canada. "We share respectful, open relationships with many communities and organizations interested in our business. We are committed to an 18-to 24-month inclusive, extensive and thorough engagement on all aspects of the project with local communities along the proposed route and marine corridor, including First Nations and aboriginal groups, environmental organizations and all other interested parties. We will also consider providing financial support to local communities for environmental initiatives. We have been planning for this day for many years, and we are keen to start indepth engagement this summer."
Preliminary plans include twinning the existing pipeline within the existing right-of-way where possible, new pump stations along the route, increased number of storage tanks at existing facilities, and expansion of the Westridge Marine Terminal in North Burnaby.
"We anticipate filing a facilities application initiating a regulatory review with the National Energy Board in 2014. If our application is approved, con-struction is currently forecast to commence in 2016 with the proposed project operating by 2017," Anderson said.
Ben West of the Wilderness Committee said the proposal was "simply outrageous."
"If Kinder Morgan thinks they can fly under the radar with this massive and reckless project, then they are in for a real surprise," West said.
West has concerns about increased tanker traffic in the Burrard Inlet and the possibility of an oil spill.
"A bigger pipeline means even bigger opposition, and as momentum builds in opposition to the Enbridge pipeline, there will be even more capacity to fight the Kinder Morgan proposal," said West. "This is the environmental fight of our generation, and big oil is going to lose."
