November 9, 2011

National Energy Board announces Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline hearings in Alberta, British Columbia

The National Energy Board announced this week that a joint panel reviewing Enbridge Inc.’s (TSX:ENB) proposed Northern Gateway pipeline has released preliminary details on the community hearings, including the list of locations in Alberta and British Columbia.

The community hearings are scheduled to begin January 10 in Kitimat, British Columbia.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) and the National Energy Board (NEB) issued the Joint Review Panel Agreement in December, 2009. The panel has a mandate under both the National Energy Board Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act to consider whether the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects and if it is in the public interest.

Calgary-based Enbridge proposes to build an export oil pipeline, an import condensate pipeline, terminal facilities and an integrated marine infrastructure at tidewater to accommodate loading and unloading oil and condensate tankers in Kitimat.

The Joint Review Panel will hear oral evidence in the British Columbia communities of Bella Bella, Prince George, Bella Coola, Hartley Bay, Prince Rupert, Burns Lake, Queen Charlotte, Courtenay, Kitkatla, Smithers, Klemtu, Terrace, Fort St. James and Massett.

In Alberta, the panel will hear oral evidence in Edmonton and Grande Prairie.

The panel also plans to hear evidence in Calgary, Victoria, Vancouver and the British Columbia communities of Hazelton, Kelowna and Port Hardy.

For the Northern Gateway, Enbridge proposes to build a right-of-way, about 1,150 km in length, between Bruderheim, Alberta (near Edmonton) and the marine terminal near Kitimat. It would go from the Edmonton area north to Morinville, then west and northwest past Mayorthorpe and Whitecourt to Fox Creek. It will generally follow Highway 43 and the Alliance Pipeline right of way, Enbridge stated on its website.

From Fox Creek, the right of way will be routed across primarily crown lands west of Highway 43. It will enter British Columbia southeast of Tumbler Ridge and continue west-southwest to Bear Lake. It will then be routed south of Fort St. James, across Highway 16 at Burns Lake and west, crossing Highway 37 north of Kitimat. The right of way would then be routed south past Kitimat, along the west side of Kitimat Arm to the Gateway marine terminal north of Bish Cove.

The terminal at Kitimat will include tankage for oil and condensate. The Gateway marine terminal, which will be on the northwest side of Kitimat Arm north of Bish Cove, will be “integrally connected with marine infrastructure at tidewater for loading and unloading oil and condensate tankers,” Enbridge says.

DCN DIGITAL MEDIA

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