Public participation should be made easier and it should be more open at National Energy Board hearings. That’s what members in Saint John have been told as they hear from presenters on how the Board can be modernised.
Sharon Murphy of Peace NB says the makeup of the Board has to be revamped since it hasn’t changed much since coming into existence in the 1950’s and now is antiquated. Murphy says the Board members doing the evaluations of energy project should be more varied and not all from the oil patchy.
Clean Air activist Gordon Dalzell says there has to be a change in the way the environmental assessments are carried out which are now done by industry.
He adds another major change would entail future reviews of energy projects having to also consider the impact on the environment and climate change.
Another speaker expressed concern over the presence of Don Ferguson, a former Deputy Minister for the New Brunswick government as a member of the National Energy Board. The hearing was told he has a close relationship with New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant who is a big proponent of the Energy East pipeline.
