Protestors arrested at Burnaby Mountain

Civil disobedience on Burnaby Mountain, British Columbia, Canada this weeked, as 16 protesters were arrested after crossing the police line while activists continued to rally against a proposed oil pipeline.

Burnaby RCMP Staff Sgt. Major John Buis said to date there have been 53 people arrested for interfering with Kinder Morgan’s survey work on the mountain.

The arrests were peaceful, with supporters shouting words of encouragement to those who crossed the line.

The protesters, including some who had been arrested earlier, have vowed to continue defying a court order that prohibits people from blocking Kinder Morgan’s geotechnical survey work for its proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.

Trans Mountain pipeline expansion

Heavy machinery is now in place and Kinder Morgan says it is test drilling roughly 250 m into the ground as part of its survey work for a proposed expanded pipeline.

Kinder Morgan is proposing to bore a tunnel under the mountain for the rerouting and expansion of its existing Trans Mountain pipeline.

Representatives of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline project say the courts have ruled their crews have the right to conduct geotechnical survey work on the mountain and they intend to proceed.

In an emailed statement, Kinder Morgan says it is in the process of drilling roughly 15 cm test holes — work that will be conducted 24 hours a day over the next 10 to 12 days.

Kinder Morgan says it is committed to minimising any impacts, and restoring or compensating for any disturbance to Burnaby Mountain. The drilling is taking place in a City of Burnaby designated conservation area.

Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner

Sources: CBC, Time Colonist

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/24112014/protestors-arrested-at-burnaby-mountain/