Energy East hearings have begun

The National Energy Board (NEB) began hearing from intervenors on the Energy East and Eastern mainline projects on 8 August at the Saint John Hilton. This was the first of ten panel sessions that will take place along the pipeline route in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The sessions are the first of many opportunities for intervenors to appear before the hearing panel and share what matters to them. Speakers will be able to express key areas of concern, explain how the project could impact them and ask TransCanada questions about each of the projects.

Intervenors also have the chance to tell the hearing panel their views on future process steps, as outlined in the hearing order.

The objective of the sessions is to establish some of the main issues of interest, to help intervenors prepare their written evidence and their information requests that will be submitted later on in the hearing process.

The session in Saint John is scheduled to run until Wednesday, with the second New Brunswick session beginning on 15 August in Fredericton. The proceedings, which are open to the public, will be available online.

Quick Facts

• The Energy East hearing will include many opportunities for hearing participants to provide input, including Panel sessions, written submissions, oral cross-examination and final argument.
• In addition to the hearing, the comprehensive Energy East review process will include expanded public engagement activities to be carried out by other Board Members who will report relevant findings to the Panel.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) will assess the upstream greenhouse gas emissions associated with this project. The NEB and ECCC are working on an enhanced public engagement process for this assessment.

Adapted from press release by Anna Nicklin

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/09082016/energy-east-hearings-have-begun/