CALGARY, Alberta, March 24 (UPI) -- A coalition of First Nations announced its opposition to plans to build an oil pipeline from fields in Alberta, Canada, to the coast of British Columbia.
Canadian pipeline giant Enbridge wants to build a network of pipelines from Edmonton to the west coast of Canada to move tar sands oil from Alberta to Asian markets.
Nine First Nations from Vancouver to the Alaskan border united to issue a formal protest to the pipeline plans.
Gerald Amos, the director of the coastal alliance of First Nations, said the coastal region cannot withstand the potential environmental impact of the oil pipeline.
"We will protect ourselves and the interests of future generations with everything we have because one major oil spill on the coast of British Columbia would wipe us out," he said.
Enbridge wants to build two pipelines to carry more than 700,000 barrels of hydrocarbons each day, increasing tar sands production by around 30 percent.
In its statement, the First Nations declared oil tankers carrying Alberta tar sands wouldn't be allowed to cross their land or water under the terms of ancestral laws.
"This is where Enbridge hits a wall," said Amos.
