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LÉVIS — What’s the worst that can happen?

TransCanada told environmental hearings into the Energy East pipeline Thursday the worst case scenario would be for the pipeline to rupture completely at Rivière Etchemin on the south shore of Quebec City — it would take about five hours for 22,000 barrels of oil to spill into the St. Lawrence River.

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Rivière Etchemin was identified as the worst possible scenario given its proximity to “very sensitive receptors” such as living areas, drinking water intakes and wetlands.

The company is under the obligation to demonstrate its ability to foot the cleaning bill, for a minimum of $1 billion, said TransCanada consultant Stéphane Grenon.

“You won’t talk about the consequences of a spill?” asked Joseph Zayed, head commissioner for the environmental review agency, known as the Bureau des audiences publiques sur l’environment (BAPE). “I’m just surprised … I have a real malaise.”