Report Warns of Risks to Pipelines and Power Transmission Lines in Northwest U.S. and B.C.

VANCOUVER (CP) - Pipelines and power transmission lines are vulnerable to a terrorist attack, warns the Seattle-based Northwest Environment Watch in a report released Thursday.

The report highlighted energy system security in B.C. as part of an overall scorecard on quality-of-life issues common to residents of "Cascadia," a geographic region that includes B.C., Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

"One night's work with a backhoe could sever vital arteries for oil, natural gas and electricity" along unguarded rural routes, said the environmental think tank.

The report suggested that more responsible energy consumption could reduce the threat posed by a sudden interruption in delivery systems such as pipelines and transmission towers.

It also warned that threats to B.C. could become acute as world attention turns to the Winter Olympics in 2010.

"Cascadia's energy system, long among its greatest strengths, has become one of its greatest security vulnerabilities," the report said.

"A lone terrorist could bring Cascadia's economy to its knees for days."

Alan Durning, the group's executive director, said he and other authors of the report noted that B.C. gets the majority of its oil from Alberta via the Trans-Mountain pipeline, which crosses hundreds of kilometres of rural land.

Pipelines "are almost impossible to secure against determined attackers," the report said.

In addition, main electricity transmission lines "are vulnerable to attacks with weapons or even common tools."

The group conceded that B.C. is less of a target than the United States but pointed out that its energy system is thoroughly integrated with the Northwest states.

"Blowing up pipelines in B.C. and power lines coming down from B.C. would be a reasonable strategy if you were of that sick and twisted nature," said Durning.