Little-Known Pipeline Paves Way For Enbridge Under Radar Of British Columbians

Little-Known Pipeline Paves Way For Enbridge Under Radar Of British Columbians by Laila Yuile, August 21, 2012, Huffingtonpost
Take for example, the Pacific Trails Pipeline project ( also referred to as the KSL line). With minimal media coverage during the approval process, it has by and large flown completely under the radar of most British Columbians. That’s a damn shame in my opinion, and I’m going to tell you why. First of all, this pipeline is owned by Apache Corporation, Encana and EOG Resources (formerly Enron). It is going to be transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Kitimat in an expanded 42-inch diameter pipe and will assist in driving expansion of fracking in northeastern B.C., something the Liberals are all over like flies on manure. Unfortunately for the people in that area of B.C., the NDP are right on board with fracking as well, with energy critic John Horgan extolling the virtues as he perceives them. … But wait, if that isn’t contentious enough for you already, here’s the real point you might not have known about yet. The Pacific Trails Pipeline runs from just north of Summit Lake (about 55 kms north of Prince George) to Kitimat… and a large portion of this pipeline right of way follows the same route Enbridge plans for the Northern Gateway pipeline. In fact, Pacific Trails has already begun to clear the pipeline route this summer, logging and cutting brush and many fear this is going to pave the way for Enbridge and mitigate much of the environmental impact in this area — and Enbridge has it all that much easier for a portion of their total route. In May 2011, Damien Gillis reported on an interview Enbridge CEO Pat Daniels did with Fox News in which he said: “We think we’re in a very strong position with regard to exporting Canadian natural gas in particular. We’re currently putting forward our credentials to the proponents – EOG, Apache, Shell and others – that are working on moving Western Canadian natural gas out to the West Coast; and we would hope to be able to see some synergies with the right-of-way that we’re working on with our Gateway pipeline out to the West Coast. So, yes, we’re very interested in doing that and we would hope to be the pipeline provider for one or both of those alternatives. (emphasis added)” … With active clearing already begun for the Pacific Trails/KSL line, the time has come for all British Columbians to inform themselves about what’s going on and what they can do about it. This pipeline has already been approved, without a lot of fuss or fight, and this portion of the line is crucial to Enbridge who must already have an agreement in place with the partners behind Pacific Trails to use the same right of way in this area. It might even be that if Enbridge’s bitumen line is tanked, they will be in place to offer the option of LNG transport… another synergy between partners? This pipeline is a key part of all the fracking expansion in B.C. and yet so many British Columbians don’t even know it was approved.