[MEDIA STATEMENT] Andrew Weaver presents final oral argument in NEB hearings

Victoria B.C. - Today at 1:30 pm, Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay–Gordon Head and Leader of the B.C. Green Party, presented his oral summary argument in the National Energy Board Hearings for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. Representatives from the Coldwater Indian Band spoke before Andrew Weaver and he was followed by the Stz'uminus First Nation.

Andrew Weaver was the only MLA who applied to be an intervenor, reviewing the project both as a scientist, critiquing the Proponent's understanding of how diluted bitumen would interact with the marine environment, and as an MLA, raising concerns shared by people across BC.

"I have been a part of this process for almost two years, examining the application and trying to get answers about the impacts it may have on our communities," said Andrew Weaver. "The fact is that Trans Mountain have not demonstrated that they have the ability to respond to a dilbit spill in BC coastal waters. This is just one of many reasons that this application needs to be rejected."

In his oral argument presented today, Weaver outlined a number of deficiencies, both with the application and with the NEB process. His testimony outlined that there are no conditions that could address the flaws inherent in Trans Mountain's Proposal. He argued that the Board should recommend to the Governor in Council that the Application be dismissed altogether.

"Trans Mountain has failed to demonstrate that this pipeline is in the best interests of British Columbians," Andrew Weaver told the Board today. "There considerable deficiencies inherent in existing and proposed spill response measure and the human health risk assessment provided by the Proponent does not adequately portray the potential health effects that may occur in the event of an oil spill."

In light of the evidence, Andrew Weaver and the BC Green Party have called for a moratorium to be put in place on the existing tanker transportation of Dilbit along the West Coast.

A transcript of Andrew Weaver's oral argument can be found on his website:  http://www.andrewweavermla.ca/2016/01/20/final-oral-summary/