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ORA would like to point out that the proposed list does not address an in-water pipeline scenario, it only addresses pipelines above, below and under a water body. Therefore, it is extremely important that the following be added:
Recommendation 1:
MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release: 6 October 2017
Ontario Rivers Alliance on the termination of the Energy East Pipeline
SUDBURY – The Ontario Rivers Alliance says that TransCanada Corp. (TC) cancelled its controversial $15.7-billion Energy East Pipeline proposal because “It saw the writing on the wall.” It proposed to convert its 3,000 km natural gas pipeline and construct another 1,500 km of new pipeline, to carry 1.1 million barrels per day of dirty Tar Sands oil from Alberta to New Brunswick.
“TC’s decision was likely due in large part to a continuing decline in the demand for crude oil in a world on a fast-track to decarbonize.” The scientific evidence is clear, that climate change is one of the greatest threats of our time. “So, the National Energy Board’s recent ruling to consider the potential increase in upstream and downstream greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the project was no surprise, but an impossible hurdle to overcome, and likely the final nail in the coffin.” Continue reading
The Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is a registered Intervenor in the review of the Energy East Project and Asset Transfer. ORA is writing in response to the National Energy Board’s (NEB) request for input on the Draft List of Issues (List) and Draft Factors and Scope (Scope) on the Application for the Energy East Project and Asset Transfer (Project).
ORA makes the following recommendations for your consideration:
The Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is requesting that the National Energy Board (NEB) significantly increase the amount of funding available to participating intervenors in the Energy East Pipeline review.
Access to adequate levels of intervenor funding is essential to hire high quality independent expert and legal assistance to help inform our project review and allow for meaningful participation in the hearing process.
The NEB has proven to be an industry friendly structure aiming to support and promote energy markets for the oil and gas and pipeline industry – yet the NEB is also charged with regulating, approving, monitoring and enforcing compliance of this same industry. ORA submits that this is a conflict of interest, and raises real questions about the independence and objectivity of the NEB, and just how well the environment and public safety is being protected. The federal government’s reliance upon tax revenues and the need for job creation from the energy industry has led to a significant lack of environmental rigor in its decision making.
The recent NEB ruling of reasonable apprehension of bias in favor of TransCanada, came as a result of the NEB panel’s inappropriate conduct in relation to their meeting with Jean Charest while he was acting as an advisor to TransCanada. This conduct only came to light through a Freedom of Information Application. Confidence in energy projects can only come when we have an open, transparent and accountable government. Continue reading
ORA supports the Panel’s broad strokes Vision in general, and applauds it for the recommendations of an accessible, inclusive, open, transparent and user-friendly process. However, there are several areas where we feel the recommendations fall short of its goals…
The National Energy Board Modernization Review Panel provided an held a public consultation in Gatineau, on 22 February 2017. Dr. Alan Hepburn represented the Ontario Rivers Alliance with recommendations as follows:
The Ontario Rivers Alliance commissioned this 3-D Flyover of the Energy East Pipeline corridor across Ontario to graphically show the waterbodies that would be at risk if a oil spill or rupture were to occur. The pipeline intersects more than 1,850 streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands along its route through Ontario. To provide perspective, the thick white lines indicate a 15 km area on either side of the pipeline.
The Chair of the Ontario Rivers Alliance presented to the Expert Panel on the Review of the Environmental Assessment Process, on Thursday, 3 November 2016, in Sudbury, and also made a detailed written submission below:
Our experience in Ontario is that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans defer to the will of the provincial regulators, which should be the other way around. We need our federal government to set a high standard that will be followed by the provincial players. Both the federal and provincial governments have gone through an intensive streamlining process which has undermined confidence in their ability to effectively review applications and Environmental Reports, let alone adequately monitor and enforce the conditions of approvals. Consequently, environmental protections have become very lacking in these streamlined and broken processes.
A presentation made by Dr. Alan Hepburn, PhD., P.Eng., representing the Ontario Rivers Alliance at the Breach of Trust event, hosted by Stop Energy East, at Nipissing University, on Thursday, October 27, 2016.
