TransCanada: still reading State Dept. report

A spokesman for TransCanada, Shawn Howard, told me this afternoon the company will take more time to read the lengthy Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement before issuing a comment.

“They have been working with 10 other government agencies to get their input. Give the size of the document and given the specific technical issues they want to address, we think it important to carefully review it and make informed comments.”

He added:  ”We are pleased they have published the report.  The State Department has made a commitment that they will make decision on the pipeline by the end of this year. This helps us move closer to the point where there is a final decision. The public comment period can now begin and this is the final environmental review that will take place.”

As for the State Dept’s decision not to extend the public comment period as requested by environmental groups, Howard said:

“Every little additional requerst they’ve been making has been about delaying the pipeline as long as they can in the hopes that we would decide not to build the line. This is about their opposition to the oil sands.”

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