Hearings on a proposed Mackenzie River valley gas pipeline will be too narrow in scope, with no assurance of adequate public involvement, says the Canadian Arctic Resources Centre, an environment group.
A leaked copy of a proposal to co-ordinate a review by a dozen northern regulatory and government agencies shows that it will be limited to just the pipeline, centre spokesman Kevin O'Reilly said Wednesday. It should also examine oil and gas development that the pipeline will encourage, he said.
"The pipeline will be accompanied by a boom in exploration and development activities, all the things that are required to keep a pipeline filled," he said. "We believe those things should be part of this environmental assessment.
"It largely seems to be centred around certain approval of a pipeline with terms and conditions rather than a rigorous process that will ensure northerners will have a fair and open review."
A dozen northern regulatory and government agencies that would need to approve the pipeline agreed Tuesday to work out procedures.
The Calgary-based petroleum companies and pipeline firms backing a pipeline from Inuvik have put intense pressure on the federal government and the boards to expedite the regulatory process. Regulatory delay would likely give a head start to an alternative pipeline from Alaska, through the Yukon.
It's unlikely that both multibillion-dollar pipelines would be constructed simultaneously.
"We don't have any problem with the principle of a co-ordinated environmental assessment; in fact we would encourage that," O'Reilly said.
"But considering the way this has been done so far, behind closed doors ... there's very little evidence that the public interest is being reflected here."
"We are committed to making sure this process will be rigorous, comprehensive and addresses the needs of northern people and the environment," said Frank Pope, chairman of the group leading the co-ordination effort.
