Canada to pick preferred Alaskan oil line plan

Following a report by former U.S. Secretary of Energy J. R. Schlesinger that favored the all-U.S. Northern Tier Pipeline and criticized an overland route through the Yukon by Foothills Oil Pipeline Ltd., Canadian Federal Energy Minister R. Hnatyshyn announced that the Canadian Government will look at the pipeline alternatives ''with a fresher view'' and will then inform the U.S. of Canada's preferred choice. According to E. C. Phillips (Foothills Oil Pipeline Ltd.), Schlesinger's recommendation means that the U.S. is putting savings ahead of concern about possible oil spills from increased tanker traffic off Canada's west coast. Foothills has asked the Canadian Government to restate its preference for an all-land route ''to place us as a country in the running for this project''. The competing pipeline proposals, particularly that of Trans Mountain Pipeline Co. Ltd., which will soon file formal application in Washington State for a tank farm and port facilities at Low Point, near Port Angeles, are briefly discussed.