The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, Oct. 7, edition that the new head of the National
Energy Board, Peter Watson, says he has
work to do when it comes to the
regulator's increasingly uncomfortable
position between the vocal
opponents and staunch
supporters of energy projects.
The Globe's Jeffrey Jones writes that a plethora of critics are challenging the
NEB's powers to choose
who participates in hearings into
major pipelines as well as what
gets discussed. It even had to
shut down in-person proceedings
for Enbridge's Line 9 reversal
project over fears about safety in
the room when protesters
became raucous last year. Meanwhile,
the NEB has been criticized
for not taking into account
increasing carbon emissions
from oil sands development in
pipeline approval decisions.
Mr. Watson says
the agency knows it is "in the eye
of the storm" in the energy
debate as it has intensified. This
is why he is launching one push
to familiarize Canadians with its
responsibilities and workings,
and another to demand a greater
emphasis on safety among operators
of projects, he says.
"I'm confident that
we're making decisions that factor
in social, economic and environmental
issues."
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