Oil Company: Stop Protesting Our Pipeline With Your Mean Faces
When was the last time someone sneered at you? Like really gave you the stink eye? If energy giant Kinder Morgan gets its way, it’s possible you won’t have to suffer such indignity any longer: If it wins in court, dirty looks could be construed to constitute assault.
In October, the Texas pipeline company received permission to begin surveying a site in a public park that would expand the Trans Mountain Pipeline, which transports about 300,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to Burnaby, British Columbia, which borders Vancouver. The proposed $5.4 billion expansion would triple the amount of oil moving through the pipeline, which spilled 200,000 liters in 2007.
Kinder Morgan claims pipeline protestors' angry expressions = "assault"! http://t.co/3gfBhc6qPp What's your #KMFace? pic.twitter.com/SqcWaP5pSt
— RAN (@RAN) November 7, 2014
The mayor of Burnaby has tried to stop the company from surveying the site, but the National Energy Board overruled the city’s conservation bylaws.
Locals and environmentalists worry about the potential effects of a spill and have been staging passionate and colorful direct actions at survey sites.
Protesters allegedly surrounded crews that came to cut down trees in the park, threw away a company sign, erected a human blockade, and “blasted” a siren sound from a megaphone inches from the ear of a project leader, reports The Vancouver Observer.
Kinder Morgan arguing in court - facial expressions are assault. #KMface #BurnabyMountain pic.twitter.com/eHibqs4smB
— Trista Kendall (@trista510) November 7, 2014
when I heard what was said I had my own #KMface pic.twitter.com/3mMKEZuQmL
— brandon pardy (@OurLabrador) November 7, 2014