"We agree with the federal court system in Canada that further assessment of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project is necessary. Because this project will result in a seven-fold increase of oil tankers departing from British Columbia ports, we must have a clear assessment of the potential impacts and risks on the Salish Sea.
"The Washington State Department of Ecology has submitted comments and registered to intervene in the reconsideration of this project by Canada’s National Energy Board. Specifically, Ecology reiterated its position that the review must increase its geographic scope to include our shared international waters. The new review must consider impacts to southern resident killer whales and the treaty-protected fishing rights of Washington tribes.
"We support the concerns submitted by the Department of Ecology, which they have made before, and we appreciate that the Canadian federal government will now look closely at the very real impacts of moving this oil across our shared waters.
"This project runs counter to everything Washington state is doing to fight climate change, protect our endangered southern resident killer whales, and protect communities on both sides of the border. We urge Canada’s National Energy Board to be comprehensive and detailed in this new assessment so that we all understand what is at stake."
Background:
- May 2018 op-ed: "Gov. Inslee: Canada’s unneighborly pipeline deal threatens orcas and climate"