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| 23. Mai 2016 |
| Wird die Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline doch gebaut? Neuer Rückenwind für das Projekt |
Bricht der kanadische Premierminister Trudeau sein Wahlversprechen, dass unter ihm das Northern Gateway Pipeline-Projekt nicht gebaut werden wird? Jetzt lässt auch die kanadische Environment and Climate Change-Ministerin Catherine McKenna ein klares Nein zu diesem Projekt vermissen. Es sei lediglich nicht angebracht, die Pipeline durch den Great Bear Rainforest zu bauen, erklärte sie in Vancouver. Schon zuvor hatte Transportminister Marc Garneau orakelt, dass es verfrüht sei, irgendetwas zum Northern Gateway-Projekt zu sagen. Ein klares Nein hört sich anders an. Das von Trudeau geplante Öltankermoratorium entlang der Küste von BC, dessen Ausarbeitung er kurz nach seinem Wahlsieg in Auftrag gegeben hat, scheint ebenfalls zu bröckeln. „Officials are weighing what types of petroleum products may be exempt from any moratorium and whether certain tankers could be allowed, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on conditions of anonymity …”, schrieben Josh Wingrove und Jeremy Van Loon bereits am 25. April 2016 bei Bloomberg (Enbridge’s Gateway Resuscitated as Trudeau Wavers on Tankers). Rachel Notley, Premierministerin von Alberta, scheint nach den verheerenden Bränden in und um Fort McMurray, welche die Ölindustrie in den Teersande-Abbaugebieten großteils lahmlegte und die Rezession in Alberta nochmals verstärkte, zu einer glühenden Verfechterin jeglicher Pipelinebauten geworden zu sein. Sie betont unermüdlich „the importance of getting a pipeline built so we can get Alberta’s energy product to market”.
Die chinesische Regierung hat den Druck auf Trudeau ebenfalls verstärkt und fordert vehement eine Ölpipeline an die Westküste von Kanada und einen Öltankerhafen. China macht diese Forderungen sogar zur Bedingung für das geplante Freihandelsabkommen zwischen China und Kanada. Die chinesische Regierung versucht seit langem, kanadische Ölfirmen aufzukaufen, um sich langfristig Zugang zu den Ölreserven in den Teersande-Gebieten zu sichern.
Der Artikel von Elizabeth McSheffrey im National Observer vom 17. Mai 2016 (McKenna won’t give a straight answer about Enbridge pipeline) ist nachfolgend auszugsweise wiedergegeben:
„Federal Liberal cabinet ministers stickhandled around accusations of breaking election campaign promises on Tuesday, as they were pressed by media and opposition members of Parliament about pipeline projects in Western Canada.
The two major pipelines in play, Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain expansion and the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, both involved meaty promises from Prime Minister Trudeau during the election campaign — first, that he would fix a flawed federal review process for new energy projects, and second, that he would stop Northern Gateway. But with rumours suggesting that the Enbridge pipeline may yet live, Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna declined to give a straight answer on whether the government had changed its mind:
‘Transport Minister Garneau is looking at ensuring marine safety, which is really key,’ she told National Observer after a discussion about climate change with high school students in Vancouver. ‘The prime minister has also been very clear about Northern Gateway — it’s not appropriate that it goes through the Great Bear Rainforest.’…
Will Enbridge build around the Great Bear Rainforest?
The Northern Gateway project was already approved along with 209 environmental, financial, and technical conditions. If it meets these conditions, the pipeline would carry up to 525,000 barrels of oil per day between northern Alberta and the deep-water port of Kitimat, B.C.
But Enbridge declined to say whether it could proceed if it needs to change its route to avoid B.C.'s rare temperate coastal Great Bear Rainforest as McKenna suggested. ‘Northern Gateway is consulting with First Nation and Métis communities and other stakeholders to chart a path forward for the project,’ Enbridge told National Observer in a statement. ‘As part of these ongoing discussions, environmental sustainability is always a priority. Any significant developments on any aspect of the project would be communicated publicly at the appropriate time and done in conjunction with our Aboriginal Equity Partners.’
Earlier this month, the company asked for a three-year extension on a clause requiring it to begin construction by December 2016, presumably unable to meet the deadline. …”
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