• Northern Gateway, Jan 04th, 2013 (5 months ago)

  Hi Matthew, thanks for joining the conversation.

  Pipelines in Canada are regulated by the National Energy Board and within BC by the BC Oil and Gas Commission. The regulations in place are significant and comprehensive. Here are links to their websites for you to learn more:

  http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/clf-nsi/index.html & http://www.bcogc.ca/

• Matthew, Jan 03rd, 2013 (5 months ago)

  what is the british columbian safety regulations for the pipeline? Would you have a website that has all the safety expectations posted?

• Cheryl Baker, Nov 25th, 2012 (6 months ago)

  I do not want your pipeline in our Province of British Columbia. Do you post our comments or only those that support you?

• Northern Gateway, Nov 01st, 2012 (7 months ago)

  Hi Haley, thanks for your comment and questions.

  As part of our detailed application to the National Energy Board, and included in the environmental assessment of the project, we've conducted many detailed environmental studies examining the issues you're raising here.

  It's important to understand that Northern Gateway would not be introducing industrial marine traffic to the area for the first time. The Douglas Channel and the port at Kitimat have a long and safe history with marine vessels, including tankers carrying petrochemicals like condensate and methanol. Should Northern Gateway win approval and go into operation, marine traffic associated with the project would represent an approximately 2%-3% increase to the total traffic traveling BC's coastal waters.

  Recognizing our responsibility to protect the environment, we've introduced additional safety measures to ensure the coast is protected. These include a dedicated whale monitoring vessel to look for whales and report sightings to all vessels, not just tankers calling at the Northern Gateway terminal.

  Tankers would also be restricted to "lanes" and would travel at reduced speeds so that impacts from underwater noise can be minimzed. In addition, ongoing environmental research would be conducted to monitor any future developments and influence ongoing project operations to further minimize impacts.

  To protect salmon bearing streams, Northern Gateway has committed to using enhanced pipewall thicknesses, dual, remote operated isolation valves and deep horizontal drilling measures at watercrossings. These will ensure that waterways are not adversely affected during construction and that they are protected in the unlikely incident of a spill. You should also note that the pipeline route does not enter the Great Bear Rainforest.

  Right now, all of our design committments are being cross examined at the Joint Review Panel. We've put forth the most comprehensive pipeline plan in Canadian history; a plan that is designed with environmental protection at its core: http://www.northerngateway.ca/news-and-media/northern-gateway-blogs/pipeline-safety/the-most-comprehensively-scrutinized-pipeline-ever/

  You can read more about our marine protection plan here: http://www.northerngateway.ca/environmental-responsibility/marine-assessment-and-our-first-response-plan/

• Haley, Nov 01st, 2012 (7 months ago)

  How will you protect salmon? Salmon is very vital to the Great Bear Rainforest, and other ecosystems in British Columbia. If there are tankers in the water, this will surely upset the salmon and may prevent them from going upstream to spawn. Also, what about the whales in the Douglas Channel? Don't they need to be protected from these tankers? You say you have a commitment to the environment, but I don't understand how that is possible.

• Pamela, Oct 09th, 2012 (7 months ago)

  hopefully it will be built :)

• Northern Gateway, Oct 04th, 2012 (8 months ago)

  Hi Anne, thanks for your comment.

  We've conducted a very detailed environmental assessment and designed plans to protect the people, land, water and animals along the route. Did you know, that rather than cross sensitive waterways through the water, that to best protect the species and waters, we've planned to tunnel under them so as minimize the risk of disturbing them?

• Anne, Oct 02nd, 2012 (8 months ago)

  The Nechako white sturgeon is listed as an endangered species under the federal Species At Risk Act, a designation which is supposed to legally protect the sturgeon’s habitat so the species can recover.The pipeline is planned to cross the Stewart and Endako rivers, where the highly imperilled species — there are estimated to be only 335 left — live. This is a major environmental consideration. How will this pipeline effect our beautiful province and our amazing wildlife?

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