At the closing of the National Energy Board hearing into Energy East in Saint John, N.B. the president of the proposed pipeline project acknowledged the frustration felt by intervenors over their questions not being fully answered.
Dozens of intervenors got up to speak over the course of the three days, including New Brunswick First Nations groups, environmental groups, individual residents, industry, and more.
John Soini says they weren’t able to answer all of the questions in full because, in the context of the project, they’re still in the early stages and noted that intervenors will have a chance to file evidence and take part in information requests next year.
“Also in 2017 there will be further oral traditional evidence hearings for First Nation intervenors. Oral traditional evidence is important and is considered by us in further planning, detailed routing and design stages,” says Soini.
He says they’ll have comprehensive emergency response plans in place before project commisioning begins, but they can’t have them finalized now because input into it isn’t available yet.
The spokesperson for the Red Head Anthony’s Cove Preservation Association, Lynaya Astephen, said that she was a ‘little disturbed’ that there was no emergency plan in place yet, and believes it should have been done already.
Soini also says they have worked and will continue to work with First Nations communities and groups in New Brunswick.
If Energy East gets the green light, construction wouldn’t start before 2019 and the estimated in-service date is 2021.
The next stop for the NEB hearings is Fredericton. The hearing in New Brunswick’s capital city is happening on August 15.
