"Pipeline CEOs vow to fight back against environmental activism and sabotage", 09 Mar 2018

Pipeline companies are bracing for an ongoing battle with environmental activists...executives from some of the biggest energy infrastructure companies in Canada and the USA say their industry had been surprised by the escalation and sophistication of the so-called "keep it in the ground" activists. The battle over pipelines reached a fever pitch in 2016 and 2017 during tense standoffs between law enforcement and activists who camped out in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to prevent the completion of the Dakota Access pipeline. "The effort is much more intense...there's more opposition, it's more organized and...tactics have evolved," said Steven Kean...CEO of Kinder Morgan. Pipeline opponents have also grown more sophisticated in the courts, hiring experienced counsel to deploy novel legal defenses, said Russell Girling...CEO of TransCanada. The executive...said the industry was too slow to respond to social media campaigns that he said perpetuated lies about...companies and their projects. In the future...companies need to be proactive and devote resources to counteracting those campaigns. Sharon Wilson...organizer for Earthworks, said grassroots groups are seeking to protect their homes from...leaks and explosions.