The document discusses the Energy East Pipeline Project (EEPP), a proposed 4,600 km pipeline that would transport 1.1 million barrels per day of crude oil from Alberta to refineries and ports in New Brunswick and Quebec. The pipeline is intended to increase Canada's energy independence by allowing Canadian oil to access international markets. However, the project is controversial due to environmental concerns related to the Alberta oil sands development that the pipeline would enable. Understanding the impacts of the oil sands is key to understanding the debates around the proposed EEPP.