The city of Saint John would be the community most affected by the Energy East pipeline and there are still many unanswered questions.
That message was delivered to the National Energy Board by Mayor Don Darling who says the city recognises the economic development potential of the project but Common Council also believes the project should not move forward until the environmental and public safety risks are addressed.
Darling says those risks became greater after Trans Canada abandoned plans for a terminal in Quebec.
The Saint John Regional Chamber of Commerce has no reservations about supporting the Energy East pipeline. The Chamber’s C-E-O David Duplisea told the National Energy Board 14 thousand jobs would be created across the country during the development of the project.
He says as a related project, Irving Oil will spend 300 million dollars on the expansion of a marine terminal which translates into more than 200 jobs. After the pipeline is up and running, Duplisea says there will be 132 direct jobs and 129 indirect jobs created.
Trans Canada has told the National Energy Board the company is working with the provincial government to maximise local employment on the Energy East pipeline project.
The Vice-President of Eastern Pipeline Projects, John Van Der Put says Trans Canada has so far spent 42 million dollars in New Brunswick and 9 million dollars in Saint John on a geotechnical testing program that was required for the engineering of the marine terminal.
Van Der Put also says the property tax on the pipeline would come to $6.9 million with Saint John receiving $3.7 million of that.
Daphne Lannon has lived on Anthony’s Cove Road for more than 30 years and says property values have tanked. She describes her situation as a pending nightmare. Colin Seeley, who lives on the Bay of Fundy, warns air pollution on the east side will get worse. Trans Canada wants its pipeline to cross part of Seeley’s property but no agreement has been reached. Both Seeley and Lannon are critical of their dealings with Trans Canada.
