As published on page B3 on November 22, 2005
Council rebuffs plan to put pipeline through Rockwood Park
By John Chilibeck
Telegraph-Journal
Saint John common council has sent a strong "no" to the company that wants to build a pipeline across Rockwood Nature Park.
The city council passed a resolution Monday night that asks Maritimes and Northeast Pipelines to prove that putting the natural gas pipeline across the ocean as an alternative could not work. It also states that the council has no interest in the pipeline going through the park.
City councillor Glen Tait explained to the public that officials from the company had met with council a few weeks ago and argued that the pipe could not go across the Bay of Fundy because the tides were too strong.
Mr. Tait said as a lay person, it was hard to understand how the same company could run a gas line for 150 miles across rough seas to Sable Island, off Nova Scotia, and not be able to run a similar line across eight miles of the Bay of Fundy.
The pipeline would run from the proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Red Head on the city east side to the west side. It would then run all the way down to the United States, feeding American customers' energy demands.
The company prefers to blast through Rockwood Park and bury the line close to the existing hydro right-of-way in the park.
Mr. Tait argued that oil rigs and pipelines are built across oceans all over the world, including the rough north seas.
"How is it that the Bay of Fundy is so different than the North seas?"
Most councillors also said they did not want the pipeline company to tear up city streets to finish complete its project.
"I just say no to Rockwood Park and no to city streets," said Chris Titus.
The resolution calls for the company to conduct a credible scientific and engineering study to prove that the option across the Bay of Fundy is impossible.
The ultimate decision on the pipeline will be made by the National Energy Board in Calgary.
3 comments:
The pipeline co. is very powerful so don't think this issue is dead. They will force a hearing and force us into a corner. Beware.
Yes good news that all of a sudden they are saying no; this may come too late now. This why we should of allowed a total investgations on all that this LNG Deal represents to our City and people of Saint John. Thank you to people like the citizens for fair taxation; without them trying to slow things down the pipeline would be laid and who knows what else is to come. Still need fair taxation for all people not just Billionaires.
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