National Energy Board | Raincoast Conservation Foundation

Interview: Why our latest court challenge to the re-approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline is critical for the Salish Sea

Published on 2019 07 22 | by Raincoast | in Interviews

The Southern Resident killer whales are a small declining population. The increase in tanker traffic associated with the Trans Mountain expansion will have a significant adverse effect on these killer whales in the Salish Sea…

Approval of Trans Mountain expansion puts Fraser River salmon and Salish Sea estuaries at risk

Published on 2019 07 09 | by Misty MacDuffee, Dave Scott, & Chris Genovali | in For the coast

Salmon circle on the rocky bottom of the Fraser River.

The Fraser River in British Columbia remains one of the world’s most productive salmon rivers. Equally significant is the Fraser River’s estuary, which serves as vital habitat for fish, bird, and mammal species that are linked across thousands of kilometers of the Northeast Pacific Ocean. All Fraser River populations of salmon…

We’re headed back to court for killer whales

Published on 2019 07 08 | by Misty MacDuffee, Wild Salmon Program Director & Paul Paquet, Senior Scientist | in Conservation update

A killer whale in the foreground, with a container ship behind it in the mouth of the Fraser River.

Today we are returning to court with partners Ecojustice and Living Oceans Society to challenge the federal government’s re-approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Our lawyers at Ecojustice submitted a motion to the Federal Court of Appeal this morning, asking for leave to launch a judicial review of Cabinet’s decision. We contend that Cabinet […]

NEB recommends Trans Mountain proceed despite “significant adverse effects” to Southern Residents

Published on 2019 03 20 | by Chris Genovali, Misty MacDuffee & Paul Paquet | in For the coast

The National Energy Board (NEB) has recommended that the Trans Mountain expansion project should proceed despite the “significant adverse effects” of oil tankers on the critically endangered population of Southern Resident killer whales. Although we disagree with the NEB’s conclusion, their review of the project effects on killer whales is forthright and portrays the severity of the current situation…

The National Energy Board and killer whales, on As It Happens

Published on 2019 03 11 | by Raincoast | in Interviews

Killer whales spyhop with a tanker in the background and population viability maps in the foreground.

In this interview, Misty outlines that while oil spills remain a clear risk, the effects of increased vessel traffic, i.e. noise and disturbance, are a certainty.

Raincoast’s new evidence on Southern Resident killer whales for the National Energy Board’s reconsideration of the Trans Mountain Expansion

Published on 2019 02 20 | by Raincoast | in Backgrounders

Beam Reach Haro Strait Salish Sea, with a map of the Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat and the tanker route tot he Trans Mountain Expansion Burnaby terminal.

The National Energy Board is now preparing its recommendations to cabinet on the Trans Mountain Expansion. When we won our legal case in the federal court of appeal in August 2018, the courts quashed the Trans Mountain permits and required the National Energy Board to reconsider their recommendations…

Still no adequate threat reduction measures for endangered killer whales

Published on 2018 09 22 | by Misty MacDuffee, Wild Salmon Program Director & Paul Paquet, Senior Scientist | in Conservation update

Southern Resident killer whales spy hop with oil tankers in the background.

The federal government is instructing the National Energy Board to conduct a review of marine shipping associated with the proposed sevenfold increase in tanker traffic from the Trans Mountain expansion…

Wild Salmon, Pipelines and the Trans Mountain Expansion

Published on 2018 08 27 | by Misty MacDuffee, Dave Scott, & Chris Genovali | in For the coast

A quiet sunny day on the The Fraser River.

As the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population continues to struggle from the combined forces of noise, pollution and food (i.e. Chinook) availability, Raincoast Conservation Foundation has released a report that highlights the risks posed to wild salmon in the Lower Fraser River from an expanded Trans Mountain pipeline…

Oil tankers: a killer for whales

Published on 2018 05 26 | by Chris Genovali, Misty MacDuffee & Paul Paquet | in Inform

Southern Resident killer whale mother and juvenile.

The National Energy Board recommended approval of the Trans Mountain expansion knowing the Kinder Morgan project would jeopardize the survival of the Southern Residents…