Canada's gov't pressed on pipeline safety

CALGARY, Alberta, June 18 (UPI) -- The provincial government of Alberta, Canada, is called on to release an independent report on pipeline safety, an environmental activist said.

The provincial government in July commissioned an independent review of pipeline safety. The report was completed in December but is not yet available to the public.

Canadian energy regulators reported three releases of waste from pipeline breaches in June. Greenpeace Canada campaigner Keith Stewart said provincial authorities may be wary of releasing the report.

"I don't think they want to be having a public conversation about pipeline safety while Keystone [XL] and [Northern] Gateway are still so much in the news," he told the Calgary Herald.

Canadian pipeline company TransCanada aims to build Keystone XL to transport Canadian oil to southern U.S. refineries. Enbridge Energy wants to do with same in Canada with Northern Gateway, planned to end on the coast of British Columbia.

Alberta Energy Minister Ken Hughes said in interviews published Monday by the Herald the pipeline review will be released soon.

"It's fairly technical, so our officials are still working their way through it," he said.