BURNABY, B.C. — Kinder Morgan can begin construction work on the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project in Burnaby, B.C., following a ruling by the National Energy Board (NEB) exempting the company from certain bylaws.
This is much to the dismay of the City of Burnaby, which has long opposed the project, and is accusing the NEB of abusing its power.
The sections of the bylaws in question required Trans Mountain to obtain preliminary plan approvals and tree cutting permits for project-related work at Trans Mountain’s Burnaby Terminal, Westridge Marine Terminal and at a nearby temporary infrastructure site.
“We believe that this is an abuse of federal powers, and city staff are shocked by the NEB’s decision, as city staff have been reviewing Kinder Morgan’s construction applications in good faith, focusing both on citizen safety and mitigation of environmental damage,” said Mayor Derek Corrigan. “The application process is the same one that hundreds of companies are required to engage in with Burnaby every year, but the National Energy Board has chosen to exempt Kinder Morgan from this very important requirement, in spite of the potential environmental, social and financial consequences.”
Kinder Morgan filed motions in October with the NEB to get around the permits after accusing the city of purposefully delaying the permitting process. Just days before the decision, it had announced intentions to shift resources on the project to “primarily permitting” to get the project through the City of Burnaby’s permitting process, rather than spending at full construction levels.
The company noted it had planned this strategy until the company had greater clarity on key permits, approvals and judicial reviews.
Corrigan has been fiercely critical of the project but dismissed Kinder Morgan’s complaints saying he is not involved in the permitting process and the delays were due to the complexity of the project.
This decision allows the company to begin work at its temporary infrastructure site near the Westridge Marine Terminal and some work at the Burnaby Terminal, subject to any other permits or authorizations that may be required.
The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of British Columbia celebrated the decision, stating, “It’s turning out to be a pretty good day for the 400,000-plus Canadians working in oil and gas.”
The NEB has yet to release its reasons for the decision.
The $7.4-billion Trans Mountain project will expand the existing pipeline system between Edmonton and Burnaby, increasing the capacity from 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 890,000 bpd.
According to the NEB, almost 90 per cent of the pipeline route for the project parallels existing disturbance, which will reduce the need for new disturbance and minimize the potential impacts of construction.
The project includes approximately 987 kilometres of new pipeline, new and modified facilities such as pump stations and tanks and the reactivation of 193 kilometres of existing pipeline. The Westridge Marine Terminal will also be expanded under the proposal.
Kinder Morgan’s pipeline is a stupid idea from the get-go, because there is no equipment to clean-up a filthy, tar sands spill. This stupid idea is an insult to the intelligence of the British Columbian people. The dilbit is riddled with cancer-causing toxins. Dump KM, to save beautiful Burnaby.