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Voice of concern over Enbridge pipeline

Entrepreneur speaks up for the environment at public hearing

When given the opportunity to speak up about concerns over the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project, Christine Hollmann stood up to let her voice be heard.

Hollmann, executive director of Terracentric Coastal Adventures in Lund, was in Comox at the end of March for a public hearing regarding the controversial pipeline. She got involved with the hearings after signing up with the Dogwood Initiative, a Victoria environmental group.

Public hearings are being held in 22 communities in Alberta and BC, led by a joint review panel with representatives from Canada’s National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Hollmann had 10 minutes to voice her reasons why the project should not go through and her opinion is a simple one. “My position is no, it shouldn’t go ahead,” she said. “As a local eco-tourism business owner the risks to the environment far outweigh any of the benefits.”

The $5.5-billion pipeline project would transport oil from the Alberta oil sands to Kitimat on the BC coast. It would make the pipeline 1,177 kilometres. Oil would be loaded on supertankers to be internationally shipped.

Those who defend the project cite job creation, that such a resource-based project would help the economy. Hundreds of jobs would be created and money would come into the country by exporting the oil.

But those who object to the project point out the environmental factors involved. The Kitimat area makes for adverse travel conditions, especially for supertankers. People who oppose the pipeline are worried about a potential future spill which would devastate coastal ecosystems.

Enbridge argued its high safety standards and new technology would mean there is only a small risk of any forecasted disasters.