CALGARY, July 16, 2015 /CNW/ – The National Energy Board (NEB) has issued the list of approved Aboriginal Intervenors in the Energy East project and has offered to begin collecting oral traditional evidence.
“Aboriginal groups have an oral tradition for sharing stories, lessons and knowledge from generation to generation. The NEB is committed to hearing from Aboriginal groups in a way that respects their values and traditions,” says NEB Chair and CEO, Peter Watson.
Collecting relevant information early from Aboriginal Intervenors is an opportunity to identify and increase understanding of the perspectives of Aboriginal groups in relation to Energy East. Due to the unique nature of oral traditional evidence, it is not dependent on the timing of any other hearing process steps.
Aboriginal Intervenors have been asked to inform the NEB, by August 13, 2015, if they would like to provide their oral traditional evidence. With that information, the NEB will be able to adequately plan timing and locations to hear the evidence. Taking part in this early oral traditional evidence process would not limit future participation, if and when a public hearing is determined.
As the NEB continues to assess the Energy East project application, issuing a list of participants provides greater certainty for those involved and allows access to participant funding for those who qualify. The full list of approved participants will be issued in the coming weeks as the NEB finalizes its assessment of the applications to participate received.
The NEB cannot determine the project application to be complete until it has assessed the future amendments expected from TransCanada in the last quarter of 2015. If the application is found to be complete, the NEB will issue a hearing order, which would provide details on the public hearing process.
The National Energy Board is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada’s energy industry with the safety of Canadians and protection of the environment as its top priority. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest.
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SOURCE National Energy Board
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