Pipeline response fails to please province
Environment Minister Terry Lake is urging the Joint Review Panel examining the Northern Gateway project to take into account the lack answers the province feels it's been getting during the questioning phase.
The province wrapped up its questioning of the final Northern Gateway panel last Thursday, looking into shipping and navigation component of the $6.5 billion project to connect Alberta's oilsands and Kitimat with a pipeline and tanker port.
"We've always said we respect the environmental assessment process," Lake said in a news release. "Through our cross-examination, we didn't get as much information as we hoped to from [Northern Gateway] on how they intend to deliver the world-leading spill prevention, response and re-mediation that we require. That is something we feel the panel will give due consideration."
Last summer the province laid out the five conditions it felt were necessary before the Northern Gateway project could be considered and after each round of questioning Lake has said the answers the company has given haven't been good enough.
Northern Gateway spokesman Todd Nogier re-affirmed his company believes they can meet the provincial government's requirements to have world-class land and marine spill response capabilities as well as thorough consultations with First Nations.
Nogier said the details the province is looking for will come later in the process.
"We're operating under an approval framework which requires additional levels of detail as the project advances through the various stages of this process," Nogier said.
Whereas Lake suggested Northern Gateway's answers to the province's questions will hurt the project's chances for approval, Nogier believes the company's responses will help its cause.
"We've put an incredible amount of work into the analysis and plans that we've put on the record to date at a level that is unprecedented in Canada and potentially around the world for an infrastructure project of this type," he said. "The Joint Review Panel will take a look at that body for work and render its decision."
The province will now begin its preparations for the final argument phase of the proceedings. The Ministry of the Environment will file written arguments in May and take part in the oral statements in Terrace in June.
The shipping and navigation witnesses continued their testimony on Friday with questions coming from other interveners. The hearings are now in recess for the Easter break until April 4.
Access article here: http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/article/20130325/PRINCEGEORGE0101/303259973/-1/princegeorge/pipeline-response-fails-to-please-province