Quebec environmental groups file court motion challenging Energy East

A coalition of environmental groups is taking legal action in the hopes of subjecting the Energy East pipeline project to Quebec's environmental regulations.

The group filed a motion against TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. and Energy East in Quebec Superior Court this morning.

The coalition claims TransCanada has ignored repeated government requests to file a project notice with the province's Environment Department, which would trigger a full environmental impact assessment.

It says upcoming hearings by Quebec's environmental regulation agency on Energy East would be incomplete without the assessment and it is asking the Couillard government to delay their start date until after the court rules on the motion.

The public hearings are set to begin March 7.

The Energy East pipeline would carry 1.1 million barrels of oil daily from Alberta to New Brunswick.