News Release

Proposed Halifax and Saint John Lateral Pipeline Projects Clear Environmental Assessment Phase

OTTAWA, October 4, 1999 - Federal Minister of the Environment David Anderson has determined that the proposed Halifax and Saint John lateral pipeline projects are not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. The Minister has, therefore, referred the projects back to the Chairman of the National Energy Board and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans for appropriate action.

Minister Anderson made his determination on the two projects based on a consideration of the following:

• the environmental assessment report prepared on behalf of the Board and Fisheries and Oceans, as responsible authorities for the project;
• public comments received during public consultation on the environmental assessment reports and the responsible authorities' response to them; and
• the implementation of the mitigation measures and a follow-up program described in the report.

A follow-up program is designed to determine the effectiveness of measures taken to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of the project, and verify the accuracy of the environmental assessment of the project.

Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline Management Ltd. (M&NP) applied to the National Energy Board (the Board) for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct and operate the proposed Halifax Lateral pipeline. The pipeline will extend 124 km from the M&NP's main transmission pipeline near Stellarton, Nova Scotia, to Nova Scotia Power Inc.'s Tufts Cove generating station in the Halifax Regional Municipality. In addition, the pipeline crosses navigable waters, thereby requiring an authorization from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard.

M&NP also applied to the Board for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct and operate the proposed pipeline in New Brunswick. The pipeline also crosses navigable waters, thereby requiring an authorization from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast guard. The Saint John Lateral will connect the mainline approximately two km south of Big Kedron Lake, New Brunswick and extend a total of 102 km toward the city of Saint John.

Environmental assessment is a planning tool used to identify possible adverse effects of development projects on the environment - the air, water, land and living organisms, including human populations. By eliminating or reducing these effects, project proponents can avoid expensive, and sometimes controversial corrective action once the project has been completed.

For more information, please contact:

John P. Fraser
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
(819) 997-1441

Gordon Harris
Sr. Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
(819) 953-1856