Calgary-based EnCana Corporation has been charged in provincial court for allegedly contravening the Canada Wildlife Act by building a gas pipeline in a southern Alberta protected wildlife area without a permit.

The incident happened in March 2005 at the Canadian Forces Base Suffield National Wildlife Area (NWA), a 458-square-kilometre piece of ecologically sensitive land that’s home to pristine prairie grassland, as well as a high density of at-risk species like the swift fox and burrowing owl.

EnCana acknowledges the pipeline “was inadvertently and unknowingly placed within the boundaries of the National Wildlife Area.” Company spokesman Alan Boras says the crew strayed 300 metres into the NWA because it was trying to avoid a wetland. “It was unaware that it had strayed into the NWA, and as a result no permit was sought,” says Boras, adding the incident caused no environmental damage. The company is scheduled to appear in provincial court in Medicine Hat on December 6. The maximum fine EnCana could face is $250,000.