Kinder Morgan appeals to energy regulator over Trans Mountain pipeline expansion

Kinder Morgan has appealed again to the country's energy regulator, asking it to set up a process to resolve potential disagreements with provincial or municipal governments over its planned Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project.

The request was made Tuesday after the National Energy Board last week rejected a proposal to expedite an earlier appeal to obtain permits from the city of Burnaby in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.

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The company claims the lack of permits from the city adds expensive hurdles to the $7.4-billion construction project.

The company also said it is also asking the NEB to set up a process to make an "expedited determination" for such cases in future.

The federal government green-lighted the project in November 2016 and the pipeline expansion would triple the amount of crude oil being carried from Alberta to the West Coast.

It is scheduled to go online in December 2019.

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