By André Faust
According to their web site the National Energy Board describes itself as;
“The National Energy Board (NEB or Board) is an independent federal agency established in 1959 by the Parliament of Canada to regulate international and interprovincial aspects of the oil, gas and electric utility industries. The purpose of the NEB is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest. These principles guide NEB staff to carry out and interpret the organization's regulatory responsibilities. The NEB is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Natural Resources Canada.”
The primary function of the national energy Board is to regulate pipelines and energy and development within the boundaries of Canada. The NEB is required by legislation to have public consultation in matters relating to pipeline and energy development. However, in order for public consultation to take place either individual(s) or interested parties must first apply as an intervener to the NEB and the national energy Board will decide on a case by case application and whether or not the applicant fulfills the criteria set forth in their policy.
At a recent workshop on energy East pipeline, Robin Tress 350.org organizer explains that the criteria that the NEB put in place put in place is too narrow in its scope to who is eligible as an intervener.
References Guidance – Participation in a facilities hearing http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rthnb/pblcprtcptn/pblchrng/prtcptnthrhrnggdncs52_2-eng.pdf
National Energy Board http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/clf-nsi/index.html
Link Web site 350.org http://350.org/
I think people will find a lot worse stories than that about the NEB. They pretty much rubber stamp anything that comes their way. People probably don't remember, but even Bernard Lord, who was hardly a guy to shake the tree, complained that the NEB was screwing New Brunswick out of royalties from the gas pipeline from Sable Island that goes through NB. The NEB actually even agreed but said 'they would study the issue', which of course meant we never heard of it again.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the Council of Canadians is taking the NEB to court:
“The NEB has effectively sabotaged the approval process by saying what it will or will not consider before any application has been filed,” says Andrea Harden-Donahue, Energy and Climate Justice Campaigner with the Council of Canadians. “The NEB is acting in bad faith and demonstrating how biased it is in favour of the oil industry by tailoring the list of issues to be considered to the company’s advantage.”
The NEB recently released the Energy East “List of Issues,” which does not include the significant impacts the project will have on climate change emissions, the impacts of increased tar sands production on downstream First Nations or the fact that almost all of the crude shipped will be exported unrefined.
http://www.canadians.org/media/council-canadians-seeks-appeal-energy-east-ruling