British Columbia officially granted the Trans Mountain pipeline project environmental approval on Wednesday.
The federal government gave its approval for Kinder Morgan’s $6.8-billion expansion of the pipeline late last year after the National Energy Board recommended it go ahead if 157 conditions are met.
Ministers issue statement on environmental assessment certificate for Trans Mountain Pipeline Project, https://t.co/7dpYNrInc1
— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) January 11, 2017
The pipeline expansion will triple the capacity of the existing pipeline, which runs approximately 987 kms long from near Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., and will increase tanker traffic seven-fold.
B.C.’s approval comes with 37 conditions on top of the energy board’s requirements, including the consultation of aboriginal groups, the development of a species-at-risk plan, and that a plan is established to mitigate and monitor the impact of the project on grizzly bears.
The provincial government also recommended research be conducted on the cleanup of heavy oils spilled in freshwater and marine aquatic environments to provide spill responders with improved information.
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