— from Governor Jay Inslee’s office —
Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement today following the Canadian government’s announced approval of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.
“The Canadian government’s decision today to approve the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion is alarming and deeply disappointing. The costs to our environment and communities are simply too high. This pipeline, if built, will impose significant negative impacts on our coastal communities, increase the risk of oil spills in our shared waters and double down on carbon-intensive fossil fuels at a time when world leaders need to double down on clean energy. It would unwind our urgent efforts to reduce toxics in our environment, protect our orcas and improve oil-transport safety. If the pipeline is expanded, we may see a call for additional investments to bring more fossil fuels into Washington state.
“But this expansion is not inevitable. I stand with Premier Horgan in wanting to defend the coast. Canada has led so many important climate initiatives over the past several years, and it’s time for them to do the same now. We will continue to pursue every option possible to protect our waters and our communities.”
Additional background:
- Statement from Inslee on Trans Mountain Pipeline recommendation by the Canadian Energy Board(Feb. 2019)
- Statement from Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson on assessment of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (Oct. 2018)
- Seattle Times op-ed: Inslee: Canada’s unneighborly pipeline deal threatens orcas and climate (May 2018)
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Can we stop what they’re planning for Anacortes? Remember that this is a Kinder Morgan project; their track record for spills is terrible. Trans Mountain will be liable for any accidents, while Kinder Morgan will go scot-free. I hope we will band with Indigenous peoples everywhere to stop this pipeline.
Governor Inslee is right to support Premier Horgan in doing everything possible to slow and stop progress on this; it will not create jobs except in the short-term. The risks to the Salish Sea, the creatures within it, the lands surrounding, and coastal and Indigenous peoples and our way of life here, are too great to allow it to go forward. And for what? Export to Asia so a few greedsters can add to their obscene profits with no real consequences WHEN a spill happens?
Correction: It seems Kinder Morgan got cold feet and pulled out of the project. The Canadian Government a la Trudeau, BOUGHT OUT Kinder Morgan, putting Canadian taxpayers at risk for liability if something goes wrong.