Inslee questions whether Canadian pipeline should expand

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The governor of Washington says his state is “allied” with British Columbia in questioning whether the Trans Mountain pipeline should be expanded.

Gov. Jay Inslee said the project poses a threat to waters off the West Coast, which Washington residents view as a treasure. He said the state is looking at marine safety laws that would help mitigate the impact of a tanker spill.

Inslee was in Vancouver on Friday for a meeting with British Columbia Premier John Horgan and officials from Oregon and California, which make up the Pacific Coast Collaborative.

Inslee said residents in his state recently rejected proposals for both coal and oil ports. Inslee commended British Columbia for leadership on climate protection.

But he said Trans Mountain may be a federal policy that “shoots Canada in the foot” and reverses some of the work done by the province.

Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna acknowledged at an event in Victoria that there are differences over the pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby, British Columbia. But she said it was approved after extensive reviews and it will be built.