Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline cleared for work at Burnaby Mountain portal

News Release
For Immediate Release

February 15, 2018 – Calgary, Alberta – National Energy Board

The National Energy Board (NEB) has issued three decisions that collectively provide Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC (Trans Mountain) the ability to start construction on the Burnaby Mountain tunnel entrance, subject to other applicable federal, provincial and municipal permits.

The decisions enable Trans Mountain to begin clearing and grading work now at the entrance of the Burnaby Mountain tunnel, or portal, on its Westridge Marine Terminal property to avoid potential impacts on migratory birds that could use that area later in the spring.

Specifically, the NEB issued two detailed route hearing decisions that approved the pipeline route where the Burnaby Mountain tunnel will be constructed. Reasons for the decisions are posted on the NEB’s website. [Filing A90021] [Filing A90020]

Trans Mountain also sought relief from the NEB on the applicability of the remaining pre-construction conditions to allow tunnel portal construction to commence within the Westridge Marine Terminal property. Today, the NEB granted relief from all remaining pre-construction conditions specific to the tunnel portal at Westridge Marine Terminal. [Filing A90023]

While Trans Mountain now has the NEB’s regulatory approvals to begin work at the Westridge portal for the Burnaby Mountain tunnel, construction is not yet authorized along the rest of the pipeline route. Construction in those areas can begin once the necessary pre-construction conditions have been satisfied, and the applicable portions of the detailed route are approved.

To date, nearly 56 per cent of the entire detailed route has been approved by the NEB. A map of the approved detailed route sections can be found on the NEB website. For more information on the NEB’s regulatory compliance work for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, please go to the NEB website.

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The National Energy Board is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada’s energy industry. It regulates pipelines, energy development and trade in the public interest with safety as its primary concern. For more information on the NEB and its mandate,please visit the National Energy Board website.

Contacts

James Stevenson
Communications Officer
Canada Energy Regulator
Email: james.stevenson@cer-rec.gc.ca
Cell: 403-613-6126
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Facsimile: 403-292-5503
Facsimile (toll free): 1-877-288-8803

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