"Environmental groups said Wednesday that a 1,700-mile oil pipeline planned between Canada and the Gulf of Mexico posed safety risks and should be delayed.

They said the Canadian crude oil intended for the $7 billion pipeline was a thick, corrosive and toxic blend that required high pressures and temperatures to move it, raising the risk of leaks and spills, according to a new report.

Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, the director of the Natural Resources Defense Council international program and a report co-author, said the effect of the fast-moving oil was like 'sand-blasting' the interior of the pipeline."

David Goldstein reports for McClatchy Newspapers February 16, 2011. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Watchdog Groups Urge Stronger U.S. Standards for Oil Sands Pipelines" (Greenwire) [3]