National Energy Board orders halt to all work activity on Trans Mountain pipeline
CALGARY — The National Energy Board has ordered construction on the Trans Mountain pipeline to stop, a day after the Federal Court of Appeal quashed the approval of the project and nullified the NEB certificate.
In the absence of a certificate, the economic regulatory agency says it expects Trans Mountain to cease all construction work on the pipeline in a manner that minimizes environmental impact.
The NEB will also monitor the project and take any steps necessary to ensure compliance.
It adds that it will continue to provide regulatory oversight of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, to ensure safe operation of those facilities.
The Federal Court of Appeal on Thursday overturned Ottawa’s approval of the pipeline, which would have doubled the line from Edmonton to the B.C. coast and tripled the amount of oil shipped to fetch a better price on overseas markets.
The panel of three judges cited lack of consultation with Indigenous groups and that the regulator, the National Energy Board, failed to address the impact on marine traffic.
The Canadian Press