Kinder Morgan clarifies embarrassing oil spill benefits comments

VANCOUVER – Kinder Morgan is on the defensive for a reference in its proposal to expand its Trans Mountain pipeline through British Columbia.

The company has been ridiculed for a statement in its 15,000-page application to the National Energy Board that says oil spill response and clean-up creates business and employment opportunities for affected regions.

The story made headlines and the company was roasted by MSNBC talk show host Rachel Maddow over the weekend.

Kinder Morgan Canada says the reference is taken out of context from a section of the application that looks specifically at the socio-economic effects of a worst-case scenario spill.

President Ian Anderson has issued a statement saying spills are not part of the economic benefits of the project and no spill is acceptable, anywhere, any time, for any reason.

The $5.4-billion pipeline expansion would almost triple the capacity of the pipeline that links the Alberta oil sands to the Port of Metro Vancouver.