B.C. issues final submission for Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project
January 11, 2016 by Canadian Underwriter
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The province of British Columbia has reaffirmed its five conditions for any heavy oil pipeline – including Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain expansion project – to receive provincial support.
In its final written submission to the National Energy Board (NEB) panel reviewing the expansion project, the B.C. government said it will continue to evaluate the project based on the company’s ability to meet the five requirements.
In 2012, the provincial government established the following requirements in order for B.C. to consider the construction and operation of heavy oil pipelines in the province, the Ministry of Environment said in a press release on Monday.
The requirements include:
• Successful completion of the environmental review process. For the Trans Mountain expansion project, that would mean a recommendation by the NEB Review Panel that the project proceed;
• “World-leading marine oil spill response, prevention and recovery systems for B.C.’s coastline and ocean to manage and mitigate the risks and costs of heavy oil pipelines and shipments;”
• “World-leading practices for land oil spill prevention, response and recovery systems to manage and mitigate the risks and costs of heavy oil pipelines;”
• Ensuring legal requirements regarding Aboriginal and treaty rights are addressed, and First Nations are provided with the opportunities, information and resources necessary to participate in and benefit from a heavy oil project; and
• B.C. receives a “fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits” of a proposed heavy oil project that reflects the “level, degree and nature of the risk borne by the province, the environment and taxpayers.”
Related: Kinder Morgan president says draft Trans Mountain pipeline conditions achievable
“During the course of the NEB review, the company has not provided enough information around its proposed spill prevention and response for the province to determine if it would use a world leading spills regime,” the release said. “Because of this, the province is unable to support the project at this time, based on the evidence submitted.”
Of particular concern is Trans Mountain’s ability to effectively prevent and respond to spills from the proposed pipeline itself, or from tankers calling at the Westridge Marine Terminal, the province said in its final written submission. As a result, the province filed three sets of detailed information requests pertaining to those matters.
“In particular, in an effort to evaluate the strength of Trans Mountain’s spill planning and preparedness, the province has asked that Trans Mountain file detailed information regarding the Emergency Management Program in place for the existing pipeline,” the submission said. “However, Trans Mountain has not filed the information required by the province in order to assess its ability to respond to a spill in a timely and effective manner.”
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