VANCOUVER – Wilderness Committee is outraged but not surprised the National Energy Board (NEB) approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline today despite overwhelming opposition in British Columbia.

“I shouldn’t be surprised but this is an outrageous decision. The NEB has ignored and wasted the time of countless communities, First Nations and individuals who have stood up to oppose this irresponsible pipeline proposal,” said Peter McCartney, Climate Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee. “Kinder Morgan’s project has no social licence and this pipeline will not be built.”

Widespread criticism of flaws in the NEB process meant the decision was a foregone conclusion.

“Nobody had much hope the NEB would act in the public interest and reject this project,” said McCartney. “Now the ball is in Trudeau’s court to do the right thing -- protect our coast and our climate.”

The NEB’s review of the pipeline proposal faced widespread criticism. During the hearings, they were denounced for ignoring the project’s opponents. Climate concerns were not part of the review despite the pipeline enabling growth of the tar sands. A key study from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences highly critical about the response to a diluted bitumen spill was dismissed because of procedural technicalities. No cross-examination of Kinder Morgan was allowed.

Worst of all, thousands of British Columbians were shut out of the process because they were not deemed “directly affected.”

On Tuesday, the federal government announced its additional consultation process, a panel that will travel the pipeline and tanker route to gauge local opposition to the project. On that day, the Wilderness Committee launched an interactive map with testimonies from communities and First Nations who raised their concerns at the NEB hearings in January.

“British Columbians have made it crystal clear this pipeline is not welcome in our communities,” said McCartney. “No new process is going to change that.”

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For more information, please contact:

Peter McCartney | Climate Campaigner, Wilderness Committee
778-239-1935, peter@wildernesscommittee.org