Enbridge hears a resounding NO to their Northern Gateway pipeline plans

“Our position now is this project is not going to happen.” -- The declaration Tuesday of some 150 different groups, from First Nations to environmentalists, that the Enbridge Northern Gateway project isn't going to get much further down the line.

Twenty one years to the day when the Exxon Valdez began its rendezvous with infamy in Alaska, a large number of British Columbia's First Nations have come out strongly against the Northern Gateway plans of Enbridge to build a pipeline across the province and a terminal in Kitimat.

That in itself is not a new development, it was a year ago that the First Nations of the areas of interest to the plan offered up a no thanks, but with 365 days to review the situation they have returned to advise that their resolve is still there to oppose the project.

Art Sterritt, executive director of the Coastal First Nations, an alliance of First Nations along British Columbia's north and central coast, provided the definitive word on behalf of the member nations of the alliance when he stated that, "We're here to tell you today that all of the communities are opposed to Enbridge." Sterrit went on to explain that the alliance of some 150 different groups was vowing to stop the pipeline project using "every legal means we can, and we have many, including constitutionally protected rights and title to these lands and waters"

Enbridge has been conducting public consultation sessions across Northern BC of late seeking to outline their plans and gauge some of the feedback from those communities that would have the closest encounters with the pipeline project.

They have recently been seeking out commerical backing for the massive pipeline and terminal project, hoping to have an announcement on that in this early part of 2010.

While Enbridge may still have hopes of pushing forward with their development, the coalition against their project is more than willing to push back it would appear, Tuesday's Globe and Mail featured a full page ad with the signatures of those groups working to stop the project.

Tuesday's announcement and media blitz suggests that the project is anything but a sure bet and could prove to set up a very acrimonious near future between pro and anti development groups across Northern British Columbia.

Vancouver Sun-- B.C. first nations oppose Enbridge pipeline to Kitimat
Globe and Mail-- Natives vow ‘whatever it takes' to stop projects 
Vancouver Province-- First Nations vow to use 'every legal means' to stop Enbridge pipeline
The Tyee-- This is where Enbridge hits a wall': First Nations promise to stop pipeline 
Victoria Times Colonist-- B.C. oil profits may come at a high price 
Canadian Press-- BC First Nations coalition declares opposition to Enbridge oil pipeline
CTV British Columbia-- Coastal First Nations declare opposition to oil pipeline
CBC British Columbia-- B.C. First Nations oppose Enbridge pipeline