A blistering attack was launched at Trans Canada by a woman from Red Head at the National Energy Board hearing in Fredericton on the Energy East pipeline.
Jillian Jordan’s house on Anthony’s Cove Road would be 200 feet away from the proposed tank farm. She remembers having a lump in her throat for several weeks thereafter and some of her neighbours won’t talk about the project because of regard for their emotional well being. Jordan told the hearing she and her husband face a future with the worst neighbour ever.
Jordan complains she can’t even get Trans Canada to reply to her emails and she’s prevented from attending meetings of the community Liaison Committee because of not being a member although her husband is.
The proposed Energy East pipeline is getting the support of the Association of New Brunswick Municipalities. It’s Executive Director Raymond Murphy says municipalities in the province have had a tough time of it ever since the financial crisis of 2008 and property taxes will go up because of the pipeline. He sees the pipeline as a way of turning their fortunes around.
Jordan questions whether a billion dollars in liability with the Energy East pipeline is enough considering how high the costs have been with oil spills elsewhere. The Vice-President of Eastern Oil Pipeline Projects for Trans Canada, John Van Der Put says that billion dollars liability is there regardless of fault. He adds if it’s determine Energy East is at fault for contamination, the liability would be unlimited.
Murphy says the municipalities have been told they will not have to pick up the cost of responding to any emergency situation that might arise with the pipeline.
