Energy East upstream emissions to be reviewed

CALGARY In a decision cheered by environmentalists but considered a setback by the oil industry, Canada’s national energy regulator says it will allow wider discussion of greenhouse gas emission issues in upcoming hearings for the Energy East Pipeline.

The National Energy Board said Wednesday it will for the first time consider the public interest impact of upstream and downstream GHG emissions from potential increased production and consumption of oil resulting from the project.

It says it will also, for the first time, allow discussion at hearings of the effect of meeting government GHG emission targets on the financial viability and need for the 4,500-kilometre pipeline.

Previously, the NEB only considered GHG emissions directly associated with construction and operation of a pipeline.

Ecojustice lawyer Charles Hatt said in a statement the NEB’s decision is “both lawful and sensible.”

“Surely it is now self-evident that a pipeline review must consider all potential greenhouse gas emissions and the risk that the pipeline will become a stranded asset in tomorrow’s economy,” he said.

But Nick Schultz, vice-president of pipeline regulation for Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, said the ruling allows needless duplication of existing federal environmental protections and will create more delays for builders who will have to submit more information.

“It’s the signal about the length and complexity of the regulatory process that is becoming concerning here,” he said.

Widening the scope puts an unfair burden on Canadian projects, said Dirk Lever, an oil and gas infrastructure analyst for Calgary-based AltaCorp Capital.

“It is not like any pipeline company can control the emissions on either side of their pipe,” he said.

Greenpeace Canada energy strategist Keith Stewart welcomed the decision but cautioned that details on how the ruling will affect the pipeline’s ultimate approval or denial are still to be determined.

A spokesman for proponent TransCanada (TSX:TRP) said the company will review the NEB’s permitted issues list before commenting on its potential impact on the $15.7-billion project.

Energy East is designed to carry 1.1 million barrels of crude per day from Alberta and Saskatchewan to refineries in Eastern Canada and an export marine terminal in New Brunswick.

The wider GHG review was opposed by the Alberta government but supported by Ontario in submissions to the NEB.

The NEB list of topics is used during hearings to restrict submissions to those considered to be within the board’s mandate. It said it received 820 submissions after inviting public comment on widening its topic list in May.

The regulator said it will now invite public comment on the completeness of TransCanada’s applications before issuing a hearing schedule.