Canada’s National Energy Board plans to hold public meetingsnext week on a pipeline to connect the mainland with VancouverIsland through the Georgia Strait.

The meetings will be held June 26 and 27 in Duncan and Sidney,BC on the Georgia Strait Crossing Pipeline. The board is alsorequesting comments in writing from the public on a draft scope ofthe environmental assessment that is required under the CanadianEnvironmental Assessment Act. Written comments are to be filed withthe secretary of the Board by July 7.

The scoping exercise is intended to provide a framework for theenvironmental assessment of the Georgia Strait Crossing Project. InMarch, Georgia Strait Crossing filed a preliminary submission toinitiate the environmental assessment process.

The proposed project is a joint undertaking by British ColumbiaHydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) and Williams Gas Pipeline. Thepipeline would transport gas from Sumas, WA, across Washingtonstate and then across the ocean floor of Georgia Strait to one ofseveral potential landfall locations between Mill Bay and CowichanBay on Vancouver Island.

The Canadian portion of the project would originate at a pointon the international border in Boundary Pass, Strait of Georgia,and interconnect with the existing Centra Transmission system at apoint south of Duncan, BC. The Canadian portion would be 31 milesin length, with 23 miles being offshore and eight miles onshore.The pipeline would transport 100 MMcf/d of gas, with an in-servicedate of November 2002.

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