[IPSM] Public Pressure forces delay of Enbridge Pipeline...

[Macdonald Stainsby]

FIRST NATIONS AND CONSERVATION GROUPS FORCE ENBRIDGE TO DELAY GATEWAY 
PIPELINE PROJECT

VANCOUVER - Enbridge Gateway Pipelines has officially announced that it 
will not submit its pipeline application for the Gateway Pipeline 
project to the National Energy Board (NEB) and has delayed construction 
until at least 2012. The Gateway proposal faces strong opposition from 
First Nations and concerned citizens along the pipeline route and across 
BC. In October, the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council filed a legal 
challenge against the Minister of the Environment for proceeding with a 
review process for the project without having fulfilled its 
constitutional duties to First Nations. This is the fifth delay in the 
project to date.

"The Gateway proposal is very controversial in BC" says Margot McMillan, 
staff counsel with West Coast Environmental Law.  "It is a huge and 
risky project with very uncertain benefits. First Nations and local 
communities are right to question whether this is the kind of energy 
development we want to see in BC. This further delay just shows that not 
even Enbridge's own investors are convinced that the proposal is a good 
idea."

At recently as this October, Enbridge had indicated that it would file 
its application for review of the Gateway project with the NEB by the 
end of this year with construction to begin in 2007. Enbridge has now 
asked that the joint review process be delayed until it decides to 
resume its former pace of activity on the Gateway pipeline. This request 
for a suspension of the process rather than full cancellation has raised 
the ire of many First Nations, concerned citizens and local communities.

According to McMillan, "Enbridge is essentially asking for a free pass 
to make sure they keep their place in line in the regulatory queue if 
and when they decide to proceed. The NEB and CEAA should not allow this 
type of special treatment. Not only does it raise issues of fair 
process, it also causes undue stress and uncertainty for communities 
potentially affected by the project."

The NEB and CEAA have indicated that they have not yet decided whether 
the current joint review process will be cancelled and a new process 
begun if and when Enbridge does decide to proceed with this project.

"A delay until 2012 is very significant. On top of outstanding questions 
about whether launching the joint review panel violated First Nations 
constitutional rights, a process established now clearly will not be 
appropriate to the changed circumstances in 6 years.  It should be 
cancelled," says Jessica Clogg, staff counsel at West Coast.

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For more information contact:
Margot McMillan or Jessica Clogg, Staff Counsel, West Coast 
Environmental Law: 604-684-7378.




-- 
Macdonald Stainsby
http://independentmedia.ca/survivingcanada
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
In the contradiction lies the hope
    --Bertholt Brecht.