Ship noise on government’s radar amid dispute over pipeline’s impact on whales
OTTAWA — The federal government is seeking a way to regulate underwater shipping noise as part of its plan to protect an endangered group of killer whales from increased oil tanker traffic off Vancouver.
The news comes as environmental groups are poised to file a new lawsuit challenging the Liberal cabinet’s approval of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, alleging the government failed to mitigate the project’s impact on the iconic southern resident killer whales.
Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc told The Canadian Press he has been working with Transport Minister Marc Garneau on a revamped recovery plan for the approximately 80 remaining whales that spend about half their lives in the busy Salish Sea.
“Certain ships emit more noise than others, certain kinds of propellers and other things in the water are noisier than others,” said LeBlanc.