TransCanada Opts To ‘Drill First, Ask Later’

Above: The Bay of Fundy in Canada, source Flickr

TransCanada is taking New Brunswickers by surprise this week, drilling boreholes in the Bay of Fundy for a pipeline project that hasn’t been approved yet. The energy giant is overseeing the Energy East project, a proposed cross-country pipeline that would pump bitumen from Canada’s tar sands all the way to eastern seaports.

The National Energy Board, Canada’s regulatory body on energy projects, hasn’t granted TransCanada approval to build the pipeline yet, Canadian media outlet Ricochet received confirmation Thursday that the company will begin conducting tests near the proposed export terminal site.

According to a report published by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick last week, construction related to the Energy East pipeline would stress endangered whales and sea life in the Bay of Fundy.

In reaction to the unexpected drilling activities, a coalition of stakeholders in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia released an open letter to the attention of municipal, provincial and federal representatives, noting that TransCanada is moving forward without consulting with “residents and others affected.” If the pipeline and terminal are built, Energy East risks directly impacting maritime communities.

Matthew Abbott, Fundy Baykeeper with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick says “A single tanker spill in the Bay of Fundy could devastate these two industries that have been the cornerstone of the economy in this region for generations. With this pipeline proposal, we’re gambling thousands of existing, permanent jobs for the prospect of short-term employment that will leave the Bay of Fundy at risk for the long term.” 

Opponents to the project emphasize:

• Energy companies are disregarding the interests of affected communities. TransCanada revealed that it will begin drilling for borehole exploration at any moment, but they failed to consult with the communities who might suffer from the consequences. Companies like TransCanada aren’t taking action without people’s consent, and their recklessness is putting communities in harm’s way.
• The Energy East pipeline would devastate communities in the Bay of Fundy and beyond. Pipeline projects such as Energy East — the largest to ever be built in North America — would endanger sea life species in the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine all the while affecting people’s livelihoods. This pipeline would also through over 50 First Nations and the most populated regions Canada while generating up to 32 million tonnes of additional greenhouse gas emissions each year.
• Federal candidates can move Canada away from an oil-driven economy. Throughout the week, global markets took a nosedive, hitting economies based on volatile oil commodities the hardest. Investors areturning their backs on fossil fuels because they know the risk simply isn’t worth it, and across the country, people are doing the same — it’s remains up to Canada’s next Prime Minister to decide whether they want to join the global movement or remain disillusioned from current realities.

Clayton Thomas-Muller, a climate justice organizer with 350.org “TransCanada, with the support of the Harper Conservative government, continues to operate in a way that does not respect democracy in Canada or the right to free, prior, and informed consent of First Nations affected by this ludicrous proposal.” 

More coverage: 

• Alarm sounded as TransCanada set to drill in Bay of Fundy (Ricochet)
• TransCanada’s Energy East drilling alarms New Brunswick residents (National Observer)
• Energy East pipeline would stress whales, conservation group says (Globe & Mail)
• Pipeline hard sell for Hobbs (Chronicle Journal)
• NDP candidate Linda McQuaig’s comment on oilsands stirs up hornet’s nest (CBC)

Reports, studies and useful links:

• Report: TANKER TRAFFIC AND TAR BALLS: What TransCanada’s Energy East Pipeline Means for the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine (CCNB)
• Infographic: TransCanada’s Energy East Pipeline: Too Much Risk for the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine(CCNB)
• Press release: New Report Shows TransCanada’s Proposed Energy East Pipeline Project A Major Risk for the Communities of the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine (CCNB)