Montreal, February 21, 2013 – The National Energy Board (NEB) will be holding a public information session this evening at the Royal Versailles Hotel in Montreal regarding Enbridge’s proposed reversal of its 9B pipeline, which runs between North Westover, Ontario, and Montreal. Équiterre is asking residents of Montreal and the surrounding area to attend the session and ask the NEB to provide as much information as possible during upcoming public hearings on the project.
“Enbridge’s Line 9B pipeline, which is over 40 years old, runs through densely populated areas and crosses multiple waterways. Transporting this dirty oil poses serious environmental risks, particularly in the case of a spill,” said Steven Guilbeault, deputy director of Équiterre. “People need to know the real risks involved with pipeline safety,” he added.
“More specifically, we are asking members of the public attending the session to draw attention to the fact that Enbridge has not been sufficiently transparent about the project, that the environmental risks in case of a spill are not well-documented, and that the economic impact for eastern Canada remains far from clear,” said Guilbeault.
Greenhouse gas emissions from tar sands production are 30% higher than those caused by the production of conventional oil, which makes Canada one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
For those interested in attending the NEB sessions, Équiterre has provided a series of sample questions on its website. Concerned citizens have until March 21 to submit a request to the NEB to have a public hearing held in their region.
The information session in Montreal will begin this evening at 6 pm at the Royal Versailles Hotel, 7200 Sherbrooke St. East, Montreal, H1N 1E7
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Information:
Loïc Dehoux, Équiterre
514 605 2000
