Environmental groups are urging Manitobans to speak up and demand more information about the proposed TransCanada Energy East Pipeline.

The proposal calls for 1.1 million barrels of crude oil a day to be carried from Alberta and Saskatchewan through Manitoba to Eastern Canada. It would mean building eight major new pumping stations and Manitoba Hydro transmission lines to power them at 20,000 kilowatts each, and upgrading existing pipelines for an estimated total cost of about $12 billion nationally, according to Eric Reder, the Manitoba campaign director for the Wilderness Committee.

"This is not a decision about the amount of oil that the average citizen needs to power their homes," Reder said. "This is about pure profit and the extraction of tar sands. There is more oil flooding the market than there has been for decades, than there ever has been. Now's the time not to invest $12 billion on fossil-future infrastructure. If there's $12 billion to be spent, it's on figuring out how to stop using fossil fuel."

Reder wants the province to open Clean Environment Commission public hearings on the issue, similar to what's happening in Ontario and Quebec.

But the province cannot stop the pipeline, said Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Tom Nevakshonoff.

"My understanding is that the federal government has the authority but (the province) has to be consulted," said Nevakshonoff, who has officially applied to become an intervenor in the National Energy Board's review.

"The whole issue is of concern to us," he said. "I'm also the minister of environment and I'm concerned for the public safety as well."

The concerns outlined in Nevakshonoff's application include such oil spills or ruptures in sensitive areas, effect on the environment, and the possibility that an oil spill on Shoal Lake could affect Winnipeg's drinking water.

Manitoba would be on the hook for the pumping stations, about $47 million, among other costs.

Reder contended the Manitoba government must also approve the project by issuing construction permits.

Then there's the pipeline's contribution to climate change, noted Alex Paterson of the Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition.

"75% of Canada's proven reserves have to stay in the ground if we want to meet the world's commitment to stop any runaway climate change," Paterson said.

According to a Climate Action Network Canada poll, 78% of Manitobans say protecting the climate is more important than pipelines and tar sands.

Reder also alleged that the additional capacity Manitoba Hydro is looking to add is, in part, to power the pipeline; Energy East and other pipelines were discussed at a Hydro development hearing last year.

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