They wanted district and council to get involved, and council has responded.
After a call out at the anti-Enbridge pipeline information session and rally on June 24 the district council was asked what their plans were for involvement in the government’s environmental assessment joint review panel.
Once they learned the district did not have to take a position for or against the project, only register before the deadline to be involved in the process, they immediately resolved to register to participate.
This should help with any dissatisfaction which was arising after the rally.
Kandace Kerr, one of the key organizers for the event, publicly called on district and council at the rally to engage with the community on the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, and attendees seemed to agree.
“There’s so many of our neighbours that don’t know anything (about the project),” said Jana Gainor, who attended the event and whose house is located very close to a pumping station on the proposed pipeline.
Gainor said people are calling on the district to get involved because the government joint review panel process is the only way they can bring forward questions and concerns, put conditions on the project should it be approved, or directly oppose it even being approved.
Gainor had later asked about the council’s plans to get involved in the process and was a bit shocked to find out they had not yet really considered registering from one member of the administration.
While she has concerns about the project on a large scale, with oil supertankers on the rugged north coast and the pipeline crossing watersheds, she’s especially concerned about the direct effect the large pumping station planned for Malcolm Road could potentially have on the value of her home and other homes in her neighbourhood.
“It’s going to be a big noisy pump house right across the street,” said Gainor. “It could cripple us financially.”
Enbridge has told her the station will house two 5,000 hp and three 5,500 hp pump units and produce about 40 decibels of noise at 950 m, while her house is only 750 m away from the site.
She is also concerned about the site’s position uphill from Pitka Creek, which flows into Stuart Lake, she said.