BC contemplates industry-pay model in pipeline demands
By JONATHAN FOWLIE, Vancouver Sun
July 22, 2012
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/contemplates+industry+model+pipeline+demands/6972676/story.html
A look at the proposed route of Enbridge Inc.'s $5.5-billion Northern Gateway
pipeline.
Photograph by: Canadian Press, Canadian Press
The BC Liberal government is considering a proposal that would see oil
companies fund a portion of the province's spill response teams in exchange for
approval to build a massive new pipeline, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
Environment Minister Terry Lake and Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
Minister Mary Polak will today release technical papers outlining what the
province is calling the bottom lines that need to be met before it would
consider any new heavy-oil pipelines.
The two ministers will also release information on what government plans to ask
as an intervener in the National Energy Board hearings into the Northern
Gateway pipeline proposal.
The announcement comes as Premier Christy Clark has said the proposed Enbridge
pipeline does not strike the proper balance for B.C.
"There is a risk to our environment and there is very little benefit to jobs
and to our economy and to our province," Clark said in an interview Friday.
"The balance isn't there for British Columbia today and I don't think British
Columbians will want this project to go ahead until we can find that balance -
unless we can find that balance."
The government is not expected to provide its final position on Enbridge's
Northern Gateway project today, but instead to make clear what it would need to
see in order to approve such a project.
In assembling the technical papers, government officials looked at other
jurisdictions such as Alaska, Norway and Washington State to see what measures
they have in place to mitigate and manage the risk of spills.
The papers are expected to contemplate what spill response the government would
need to see here in British Columbia before it would consider a new heavy oil
pipeline.
These parameters would include such factors as spill response capabilities on
land and in the marine environment.
The new guidelines will not just be limited to the Northern Gateway proposal,
but will apply to all future heavy oil pipelines in the province as well,
including the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion proposed by Kinder Morgan.
The new rules are not expected to apply to liquefied natural gas pipelines,
which pose a lesser risk.
In this process the government is also expected to reveal it is looking at a
model where industry is asked to help cover the costs for a spill-response
network.
It is also expected to outline some of the benefits British Columbia wants to
see in return for taking on the risks associated with a heavy-oil pipeline.
These are expected to include a need for greater opportunity and benefit for
first nations.
Officials from the ministries of environment, aboriginal relations and
reconciliation, energy and mines and B.C.'s Environmental Assessment Office
will all be at today's announcement.
Clark is not expected to attend.
jfow...@vancouversun.com
The provincial government will outline its position on oil pipeline proposals
in a long-awaited announcement Monday.
Photograph by: Jason Payne, Vancouver Sun
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