A lawsuit that could potentially derail the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline project has been filed in federal court.

Five environmental groups -- The David Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace Canada, Sierra Club of BC, the Wilderness Committee and Wildsight -- want Ottawa to go public with its plan to help endangered animals.

It says the recovery strategy plans would show how the feds would protect the over 180 species living along the proposed route. The groups claim Ottawa is breaking its own Species at Risk law, failing to fulfill its legal responsibility to protect the animals.

Gwen Barlee with the Wilderness Committee is hoping the lawsuit affects whether the pipeline is approved.

"I think that informs that discussion and I think it would lead scientists and if government officials are really listening to the science, then that would help them make the decision that the Enbridge pipeline should not go ahead at all," she believes.

Barlee also has an idea as to why Ottawa may be holding back the information.

"I think they don't want to step on the toes of big industry. Whether it's smelting mines, whether it's pipelines, whether it's oil and gas companies, whether it's oil tankers that they're pushing the environment to the backseat."

The group says several mandatory deadlines set out in the Species at Risk Act (http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm) have also been missed -- some are five years overdue.

The legal action would force the federal environment minister to publish the recovery plan to help animals like humpback whales, white sturgeon and caribou.

Clark renews invite

Meanwhile, Premier Christy Clark will be in Calgary next week and has invited her Alberta counterpart for a sit-down discussion about the proposed project.

Clark sent Alberta Premier Alison Redford a letter, in which she reminds her that in order for the Northern Gateway proceeds, it would require a number of permits from British Columbia. Clark adds she recognizes the pipeline's benefits for Alberta.

Over the summer, BC's premier said the province would be looking for a greater share of revenue from the project to offset the environmental risks BC would be taking.