Kinder Morgan crews blocked by citizens on Burnaby Mountain (VIDEO)
18-year-old also pins himself under a Kinder Morgan vehicle in opposition to the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion pipeline
Kinder Morgan crews were met by a group of citizens that blocked the company from conducting its oil pipeline survey work on Burnaby Mountain Wednesday morning. One teenager even pinned himself under a company jeep.
The drama began around 10am at a staging area where dozens of citizens have been gathered for days. Suddenly, the word went out: Kinder Morgan crews were advancing into the woods.
“Kinder Morgan is at bore hole one!” yelled SFU professor, Stephen Collis.
“Kinder Morgan is at bore hole one!”
Instantly, a mad dash of citizens, journalists and filmmakers ran several minutes into the Conservation forest to intersect with the company crews.
“You’re access is not acknowledged!” yelled a protester to the crews.
“You have no right to be here!” said another. “Canada doesn’t want your dirty oil money!"
“[expletive] off back to Texas! [expletive] off back to Texas!” yelled more.
Kinder Morgan crews met by citizens deep inside the conservation forest on Burnaby Mountain on Wednesday - Mychaylo Prystupa
Kinder Morgan crews on the mountain had their cameras too, filming the protesters, as well as a crew leader handing out a company statement, which read that the company is doing survey work permitted by the National Energy Board.
The Texas-based pipeline giant is seeking to do geotechnical drill studies for a possible underground tunnel for the last leg of its proposed Edmonton-to-Burnaby bitumen oil pipeline.
Citizens said they were opposed to the removal of trees in a conservation zone, and had general worries about oil sands expansion, pipeline and tanker spills, local ecosystem impacts, and the worsening of climate change.
Also long opposing the pipeline has been the City of Burnaby, including Mayor Derek Corrigan, which has tried legal means to stop the company. But last week, the NEB granted the company access to the mountain, provided it give 48 hours notice.
But Wednesday, citizens appeared to have stopped the crews - for now.
“At some locations, our crews were obstructed and have left for the day," said Greg Toth, Senior Project Director, Trans Mountain Expansion Project in an e-mail.
"We’re considering our next steps to ensure we complete the studies required to support our Application," he added.
As the crews exited the mountain forest onto a leafy residential street, they were met by another obstruction.
An 18-year-old pinned himself under a Kinder Morgan jeep with an Alberta licence plate.
George Khossi under Kinder Morgan jeep on Burnaby Mountain on Wednesday - Youtube video by Mychaylo Prystupa
“I am chaining myself to a Kinder Morgan affiliated vehicle,” said George Khossi, to an array of journalists, as he lay motionless under the vehicle. He remarked coyly:
“I’m enjoying the mass media, [its] censorship, [the] genocide, and the invasion of unceded Coast Salish territory.”
Khossi said oil was destroying the earth, and added he would stay under jeep for “as long it takes.”
RCMP said Wednesday afternoon they had not made any arrests.
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Kinder Morgan's presence on the 3 Coast Salish, un-ceded Territories of these First Nations groups, The Squamish, Musqueam and Tseil Wa'tuth is not acceptable. As well, the citizens of Burnaby, Vancouver and Coquitlam, and many Municipalities support Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan's position in the stopping of Kinder Morgan's twinning of their pipeline that will pass under Bby Mt and through their Municipalities, as a violation of their Municipal by-laws
These Municipalities support the citizen's and First Nation's initiative, to block the two pipeline borehole sites and prevent any work from starting. Will it mean another court case to end the destruction on the Conservation lands.?
Will it take thousands of signatures to stop this Proposal.? Yes!, it will take this action, and many more to warn and make it known, to Kinder Morgan they are not welcome in these communities, so, please pack up and leave Burnaby Mt.
Even with the NEB ruling, you can't invade this neighborhood and change the landscape, forever.!
Will it take more appeals and court actions to defeat Kinder Morgan.? Yes!, because what they are doing is challenging Municipal Govt Authority and this is not acceptable, it is considered un-constitutional and therefore, it is violating the rights and freedoms of the citizen's and the Three First Nation people's rights, whose territories are being violated.
Watch out Kinder Morgan the fight in court, has just started and you will lose.
Thanks to everyone up on Burnaby Mountain for defending our right to NOT live in a toxic wasteland! I still remember the Burrard Inlet oil spill after construction crews drilled into the pipeline in 2007 (the year Kinder Morgan took over it), and I felt absolutely sick to my soul. 'Eff'-off back to Texas indeed, Kinder Morgan!!! This project is nothing more than a pipe-dream as we the people of BC will never allow it!
Thank you to this 18 year old, doing what most Canadians should be doing. Sticking up for everyone's rights to preserving our natural resources and respecting our land and our Aboriginal people.
You rock George.
If only there were more Canadians and human beings like you.
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