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Pipeline not a done deal

Contrary to some public opinion, approval of the Kinder Morgan Expansion pipeline project (KMX) is not a done deal.

Editor:

Contrary to some public opinion, approval of the Kinder Morgan Expansion pipeline project (KMX) is not a done deal.

You may have noticed in the media that the Provincial Liberal Party and specifically Premier Christy Clark are being held to account for their alleged conflict of interest in the approval of the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project due to accepting significant financial contributions from that source.

I understand that the Township of Langley is in negotiation with Ian Anderson, president of Kinder Morgan Canada, concerning financial compensations for anticipated costs during proposed construction.

Let’s be clear - no amount of money can come close to mitigating the potential risks to Langley’s environment, financial and social interests.

At the Council meeting on March 7, 2016, after listening to a delegation present economic, social and environmental reasons to oppose the KMX project, I heard Mayor Jack Froese declare “our environment is not for sale”.

The Township of Langley is a signatory of the Climate Action Charter with the Provincial Government of B.C. and has committed to reduce GHG to 10% below 2007 levels by 2021.

Legal council for the Township, Maegen Giltrow, who submitted a nine-page list of concerns to the TMX Ministerial Panel on July 28, 2016 concluded that, “The expansion of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline through Langley should not be allowed to proceed.”

I’m at a loss to understand how these positions jive with the expansion of the tar sands infrastructure, which ultimately leads to expanded fossil fuel combustion and GHG emissions, at a time when we so desperately need to be making substantial reductions.

Susan Davidson, Aldergrove