By Robert Frank
www.thesuburban.com
Up to 300,000 barrels of oil a day could begin to flow through Île Jésus this summer.
Energy giant Enbridge had expected last fall to begin to carry crude from Western Canada and Northern United States via its pipeline that runs through Laval to the Suncor refinery in East End Montreal.
However, the National Energy Board (NEB) put the brakes on Enbridge’s proposal in October, citing concerns about the safety of the pipeline where it crosses major waterways. In a statement, Feb. 6, the federal energy regulator said that Enbridge had “adequately demonstrated that its methodology for the number and placement of valves is currently appropriate. There have been 17 new valves installed as a result of the hearing process; there are now a total of 62 valves along the pipeline.”
Enbridge has declined to specify whether the NEB had raised questions about safety where its pipeline enters Laval from Rivière des Mille Îles opposite Terrbonne and exits via the Rivière des Prairies toward Montreal.
At the time, Laval’s environment chief Gilles Benoît reassured The Suburban that the pipeline didn’t pose a danger to the city’s drinking water supply.
“Nonetheless, the pipeline also crosses the Ottawa River further upstream, where it could contaminate Lake of Two Mountains and affect the drinking water supplies of several municipalities, possibly even Laval.
Also, there are many fresh water wells in Eastern Laval that supply farms and residences, so we want to ensure that these won’t be contaminated, in the event of a leak.”
Although Enbridge is optimistic about the prospect of moving forward within four months, NEB slapped two new safety conditions that the pipeline operator must satisfy: an analysis of whether additional valves ought to be installed; and more analysis to determine whether and where water crossings would benefit from more valves.
