Enbridge Northern Gateway has filed thousands of pages of “reply evidence” to the Northern Gateway Joint Review panel, responding to questions from the panel, from government participants like DFO, and intervenors.
Enbridge also used the filing to issue a news release saying it is adding $500 million in new safety features for its pipeline plans.
Northern Gateway Pipelines Reply_Evidence_ (summary of filings PDF)
Link to 43 item reply filing on JRP website.
In the introduction to the summary of the evidence the JRP asks
Should the fact that Northern Gateway does not respond to all points in a particular intervenor’s evidence or to all intervenor evidence be taken as acceptance by
Northern Gateway of any of the positions of intervenors?
To which Enbridge replies:
No. Northern Gateway does not accept any of the intervenor positions that are contrary tothe Application or additional material filed by Northern Gateway. Some of those positions will be dealt with by Northern Gateway in cross examination and argument rather than reply evidence, and others will simply be left to the JRP to determine on the basis of the filed evidence alone.
Related: Vancouver Sun: Christy Clark toughens pipeline stance as Enbridge announces safety upgrades
The reply covers a multitude of topics including
- Economic Need and the Public Interest
- Engineering
- Avalanche Risk and Groundwater Concerns
- Corrosivity of Diluted Bitumen
- Improvements Since the Marshall Incident
- Geotechnical Concerns
- Geohazards Issues
- Seismic Design Concerns
- Recovery of Biophysical and Human Environment from Oil Spills
- Corrosion, Inspection and Maintenance of Oil Tankers
- Design and Construction of Oil Tankers
- Pilotage
In response to numerous questions about the Marshall, Michigan, oil spill, Enbridge repeats what it said in an e-mail to “community leaders” earlier this week and in this morning’s news release, saying: “Enbridge has made a number of improvements since the Marshall incident.”
As part of the filing Enbridge has also filed an update on its aboriginal engagement program.
There are also detailed and updated reports on the company’s plans for the Kitimat valley region.