Environmental groups on Wednesday morning will announce details of legal action against the federal government related to protection of species at risk on Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway route.

Ecojustice says the case focuses on four species — Pacific humpback whale, Nechako white sturgeon, marbled murrelet, and southern mountain caribou — found on the Northern Gateway pipeline and shipping route.

Ecojustice is bringing the case before the Federal Court on behalf of the David Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace Canada, Sierra Club B.C., Wilderness Committee and Wildsight.

Postmedia News last June published internal correspondence between the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Environment Canada warning the Northern Gateway project posed a threat to at least 15 species, including marbled murrelet and caribou.

The 15 species did not include marine mammals such as whales that could be killed or harmed by the increased traffic or unintentional collisions with supertankers transporting the oil from the pipeline.