Advertisement

Peter Watts: Trans Mountain review by National Energy Board begins Wednesday

The National Energy Board (NEB) today released a hearing order setting out next steps and schedule as well as requests for information from Trans Mountain and Federal Authorities required for its reconsideration of aspects of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project pertaining to project-related marine shipping. A aerial view of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain marine terminal, in Burnaby, B.C., is shown on Tuesday, May 29, 2018. TAPTMX1.cpo THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward. Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press

On Wednesday morning, the National Energy Board will begin three weeks of hearings on the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline project.

The review was ordered by the Federal Court of Appeal at the end of August.  The court found that insufficient time had been spent reviewing potential marine impacts of the pipeline and of increased tanker traffic into and out of the Port of Vancouver.  It also decreed that more consultation with First Nations communities should be held.

“We did a lot of work in this area as part of our application to build the pipeline and first submitted that work in 2013,” Trans Mountain spokesperson Ali Hounsell told me.  “Everything from double hull tankers, to escorted sea routes into and out of the Port of Vancouver, to the potential impacts on whales and other marine life.  All of that information was a part of our application. But the NEB’s mandate did not include examination of marine impacts if the project went ahead.

Story continues below advertisement

“Even so, there are 157 conditions which were attached to the original approval and some of those conditions dealt with marine issues.”

The next three weeks will focus on oral presentations to the NEB, many of which will come from First Nations communities.  Ali Hounsell tells me that she sat through many of these sessions before the project got its initial approval, saying that many of the presentations involved drumming and storytelling by First Nations elders.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

WATCH: Will a Trans Mountain Pipeline consultation actually be meaningful?

Click to play video: 'Will a Trans Mountain Pipeline consultation actually be meaningful?'
Will a Trans Mountain Pipeline consultation actually be meaningful?

She expects these upcoming sessions to be similar in form and in message.

Story continues below advertisement

“The First Nations communities care deeply about the land, the water, and the sky,” she told me.  “Those are the themes we’ll see emphasized over and over again.”

The B.C. and Alberta governments each have intervener status as well.  B.C. will continue to hammer away at the environmental issues and the concerns about safety and protection of coastal waters and communities.  Alberta, meanwhile, will stress the economic benefits and the belief that the project can meet safety and environmental standards.

The focus is supposed to be on the marine aspects of the project.  I’m told the NEB is not going to be looking at the entire project yet again, after taking three years to review it.  The plan is still to produce a final report for the federal government by Feb. 22, 2019.

Story continues below advertisement

It will then be up to the Trudeau cabinet to decide if — and how — to proceed.

 

Sponsored content

AdChoices