Merrick Pipeline Project

Temporary infrastructure, such as access roads, construction camps, stockpile sites and contractor yards, would be required during construction. In addition, new permanent access roads would be required for pipeline operations. New electrical power lines and associated facilities may also be needed to meet power requirements for metering facilities, valve sites and grounding beds. If required, the power lines and facilities would be constructed, owned and operated by third-party power providers.

NGTL has identified 18 named watercourses that would be crossed by the proposed Project route, including Murray River, Sukunka River, Highhat River, Burnt River and Parsnip River. The Project would also traverse an Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) within the Hart Ranges caribou range for approximately 6.8 km, and a UWR for elk, mule deer and moose for approximately 1.6 km.

Pending regulatory approval, NGTL proposes to start construction in the first quarter of 2016, with an anticipated in-service date in early 2020.

The 4 June 2014 Project Description includes designated physical activities enumerated in the Regulations Designating Physical Activities (Regulations) under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012). These include the construction of over 40 km of new pipeline. As a result, the NEB anticipates that the Project will be a designated project for the purposes of CEAA 2012 for which the NEB will be the responsible authority.

Once the NEB receives an application for the Project and deems it complete, the NEB will post a Notice of Commencement for the start of the CEAA 2012 environmental assessment and update any of the project details above, as necessary.

On receipt of the Project application, the NEB will also establish a public hearing process under the NEB Act, to review the application and this will include a process for public participation.

Consultation and Cooperation with Other Jurisdictions

Section 18 of the CEAA 2012 provides that, as the responsible authority for this Project, the NEB must offer to consult and cooperate with respect to the environmental assessment (EA) of the Project with any jurisdiction referred to in paragraphs (c) to (h) of the definition of “jurisdiction” in CEAA 2012 subsection 2 (1) if that jurisdiction has powers, duties or functions in relation to an assessment of the environmental effects of the designated project.

If you believe you are such a jurisdiction under CEAA 2012 section 18, please self-identify with the NEB describing how you meet the definition of jurisdiction and explain your relevant EA power, duty or function, as well as the activities your jurisdiction plans to undertake to exercise your powers, duties or functions to complete an EA of this designated project. The Board’s assessment process often includes steps that might be relied upon by other jurisdictions that have EA powers, duties or functions, or may be able to provide other opportunities for cooperation with the EA process of eligible jurisdictions if timely notice is provided. Accordingly, please write to the Board with this information as soon as possible and in any event no later than 10 days prior to the deadline to participate in the NEB hearing process (to be announced at a future date), so that opportunities can be explored.

All correspondence should be addressed to the Secretary of the Board and filed by fax (1-877-288-8803), through the NEB’s e-filing tool (on the NEB’s website [www.neb-one.gc.ca] under Submit Applications and Regulatory Documents, then File a Letter of Comment), or mailed in hard copy to:

National Energy Board
517 Tenth Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta  T2R 0A8