Trans Canada officials have filed a lawsuit against the United States under NAFTA arguing the rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline violated NAFTA rights for foreign investors. Trans Canada is seeking more than $15 billion in damages. Sierra Club’s Trade Program Director Illana Solomon says this litigation shows how trade deals threaten climate change and remove environmental protections.
She says the case will be decided by a private tribunal of judges.
Solomon says there is no appeals process and the tribunal’s decision is final. She also says her group is working to educate U.S. lawmakers that trade deals like NAFTA and the TPP bring harmful environmental effects. She says because of that the Sierra Club is calling on Congress to reject the TPP.
Solomon says one of the major dangers of ratifying the TPP is that there are at least 9,000 companies covered under that deal that could use the same legal avenue Trans Canada is now using under NAFTA.
