The Canadian government said it plans to extend the Kinder Morgan pipeline decision by several months to allow for an upstream greenhouse gas emissions assessment and more consultation with First Nations.
The move pushes the final answer for Kinder Morgan from August to December of this year.
“Today the Government of Canada is delivering on a key promise to do things differently,” said James Carr, the federal minister for Natural Resources.
The changes were part of the government’s Wednesday announcement on interim principles designed to restore trust in a process that has drawn ire from the public and politicians for months.
Government officials spoke on background only in a conference call and briefing with media, followed by comments from Carr and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. The two major projects currently under National Energy Board review are the Energy East pipeline and Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline. The Trans Mountain hearing is in the final stages, as intervenors’ final oral arguments wrap up in Burnaby. Under the current rules, cabinet has the final say on whether the pipeline will proceed, and government’s own deadline will be extended by four months giving them a total of seven to consider the project. The government has no current plans to deal with downstream greenhouse gas emissions - only upstream at the point of extraction.
The NOW asked if and when the government plans to address public complaints about the NEB’s hearing process, like the lack of oral cross examination or ability for the public to sit in on the hearings. Carr replied that the government can’t apply long-term NEB reforms to the current projects.
“That would not be fair or responsible, but the comments, such as the one you just made, reflecting what your community is saying, will be very important to the Government of Canada as we look at the best way we can reform the regulatory system in the long-term, and all of the issue you mentioned well be considered,” he said.
New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian said he was surprised at the Liberals’ efforts to put window dressing on an illegitimate process.
“They’re tacking on a few things that may sound nice, but they have no connection to the actual process,” he said. The First Nations consultations would not be connected to the hearing, he added, and there are no targets or caps on associated greenhouse gas emissions.
“They did climb down from their commitments during the election campaign that these projects should be subject to a thorough and credible process – it’s not happening,” Julian said.
No one from Kinder Morgan was available for an interview.
Highlights from today’s announcement:
- No current projects will go back to the drawing board.
- The government will appoint a ministerial representative to collect public feedback from communities affected by projects.
- The Crown will undertake “deeper” consultation with First Nations and will provide funding to make it happen.
- There will be an upstream greenhouse gas emissions assessment, but no consideration of downstream emissions, and the information will be public.
