TransCanada CEO says upstream emissions not germane to pipeline review process

CALGARY – The CEO of TransCanada says upstream greenhouse gas emissions should not be included in the federal pipeline review process.

Russ Girling says the regulatory process should focus on safety and spill response rather than issues like upstream emissions that he says aren’t germane to pipeline development.

He says oilsands and natural gas projects are already subject to a review process that considers emissions and therefore another regulatory hurdle for pipeline approval is unnecessary.

Girling says he hopes efforts by the Alberta and federal governments to cap and lower emissions will help reduce the “noise” around the issue as it relates to pipelines.

In January, the federal government introduced new requirements to take into account upstream emissions when reviewing pipelines.

TransCanada is the proponent behind Energy East, a massive pipeline that would ship oil from Alberta to as far east as Saint John, N.B., if approved.