Opostion and Benefits of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines

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Introduction
The $5.5-billion Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines project would consist of two pipelines: one transporting oil in a westerly direction from Bruderheim, Alta., to the port of Kitimat, B.C., from where it would be shipped to international markets in Asia and the northwestern United States; and another carrying imported natural-gas condensate in the opposite direction. The condensate is a toxic mix of liquid hydrocarbons that forms during the extraction of natural gas and is used as a thinning agent to dilute and help transport heavy oils like bitumen.. The Northern Gateway would have the capacity to transport 525,000 barrels of oil per day. The project would be developed by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian crude oil and liquids pipeline company.
The majority of the pipeline would be buried underground, with the exception of a few water crossings where it is deemed safer to run the pipes above water. Enbridge claims that the pipeline and terminal, if completed, would provide 104 permanent operating positions created within the company and 113 positions with the associated marine services.
First Nations groups, environmentalists and oil sands opponents, among others, denounce the project because of the environmental, economic, social and cultural risks posed by the pipeline. Proponents argue the pipeline would instead provide aboriginal groups with equity ownership, training, employment, Community Trust and stewardship programs.
The proposal has been heavily criticized by native groups. Groups like the Yinka Dene Alliance have been organized to campaign against the project. In December
2010, 66 First Nations bands in British Columbia, including many along the proposed pipeline route, signed the Save The ...

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...tected area.
Because bitumen can sink in water, a cleanup would be "very challenging," say the three environmental groups, and Canada's pipeline regulations do not specifically address shipping bitumen.
Other critics claim that exporting the petroleum from the oilsands rather than refining it in Canada amounts to exporting jobs, as well.

Project’ s Future
To build or not to build? With factors on both sides that reiterate the notion that this is no easy situation to address. Is it worth BC’s approval to build the pipeline, when it assumes 100 per cent of the port risk and 58 per cent of the land-based pipeline risk?
Can a dollar value be placed on BC’s integrity? How much money would it make alright to assume the unwarranted risk of oil spills and devastation of one of Earth’s most beautiful temperate rainforests? $1 billion? $5 billion? $100 billion?

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