CALGARY – The National Energy Board says it plans to require companies to publish their emergency management programs by the end of March next year as part of a push for increased transparency.
The regulator said Thursday that it’s accepting public comments until Oct. 11 on the draft board order that would make the public disclosure on company websites a requirement.
Nationally regulated pipeline companies are already required to post their emergency procedure manuals online by Sept. 30, but this latest order covers a much broader scope including policies and commitments, hazard identification and incident management systems.
In early 2015, Kinder Morgan was criticized for not publicly disclosing its emergency response plan for the $6.8-billion Trans Mountain pipeline, saying it wasn’t required to by the NEB.
The company had cited concerns about security for not publishing its plan, saying that disclosing details like where critical valves and critical access points are could jeopardize the system.
The NEB order specifically excludes requiring to disclose personal details, or information where there is a significant risk that it could impair the security of the infrastructure.