SAINT JOHN, N.B.- It’s still fairly early in the regulatory process, but the Energy East pipeline project continues to make headlines in New Brunswick, particularly in the Saint John area.
The National Energy Board will hold hearings into the project and received more than 1,800 applications for intervener status before this week’s deadline passed. Among the applicants was Saint John Mayor Mel Norton, who wants to appear on behalf of Common Council and the city.
If the project gets the green light, about 1.5 million barrels of crude oil a day would make its way from Western Canada to the Irving Oil Refinery.
Port Saint John also wants in on the action because it feels it would be directly affected. President Jim Quinn said Energy East would result in more cargo.
“There would be more ships entering and exiting our jurisdictional waters,” he said. “So just from that perspective it’s incumbent upon us to make sure that the N.E.B. officials who are in the decision-making mode understand what the role of the port is relevant to that increased activity.”
The Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce represents business interests in the area and CEO Dave Duplisea says 98 per cent of its members want Energy East to move forward.
Environmental groups including the Citizens’ Coalition for Clean Air and the Conservation Council of New Brunswick have also made intervener applications.
The board said it will release a list of participants around the middle of the year.
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