Trans Mountain protests as NEB hearings resume

First Nations and environmentalists have called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stop a National Energy Board (NEB) review of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion as hearings on the proposal began yesterday.

The hearings will last for 10 days in BC and will finish in Calgary next month. Local municipalities, environmental groups, First Nations and residents who live along the pipeline are set to deliver final arguments.

The NEB streamlined the review process to meet time limits set by the previous Conservative government. Interveners are not allowed to cross-examine Kinder Morgan representatives and instead had to send in written questions. The company answered a portion of those questions.

Last week the BC government said it would not support Kinder Morgan’s proposed pipeline expansion. It could not support the project because of concerns about spill response and aboriginal support, while the Alberta government issued its support because of the economic benefits.

Hearings were suspended last summer to avoid a perceived conflict of interest after a Kinder Morgan consultant took a job with the NEB.

If approved, the expansion would triple the amount of crude shipped through the pipeline.

Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner

Sources: The Province, CKNW, Castanet

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/20012016/trans-mountain-protests-as-neb-hearings-resume/