The National Energy Board ("NEB") has released a list of 109 Aboriginal groups that have been approved as Intervenors in the proceedings before the NEB on the proposed Energy East Pipeline project. A decision about further non-Aboriginal Applications to Participate is expected in the coming weeks.
The NEB invites Aboriginal Intervenors to submit a Notice of Intent to provide oral traditional evidence by August 13th, 2015. We provide a link to more information here.
Intervenors before the NEB are entitled to participate throughout the hearings and may qualify for funding. Although the deadline for Phase I funding has passed, the NEB has not announced the deadline for Phase II funding. Willms & Shier is assisting clients across the country to access funding and to support meaningful participation in the hearing.
The NEB has not yet released information on the Energy East hearing process, locations and dates. TransCanada communicated to the NEB that it does not expect to file a complete application prior to the end of 2015. Once TransCanada's Energy East application is found to be sufficiently complete, the NEB will issue a hearing order, which will provide more details on the hearing process.
The Energy East pipeline, if approved, would transport 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day along a 4600 kilometer route from Alberta to Eastern Canada. TransCanada proposes to convert an existing natural gas pipeline to an oil pipeline for a portion of the route, and to build new pipeline and pumping stations along the remainder. TransCanada will also construct new tank terminals in Hardisty, Alberta and in Saint John, New Brunswick.
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