The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that a National Energy Board panel has pushed back hearings to October that were supposed to commence next week into Kinder Morgan Canada's Trans Mountain expansion because a consultant, IHS Global Canada's Steven Kelley, who prepared evidence in 2013 in favour of the project, will soon work for the NEB. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that Mr. Kelley's report touted the project's economic benefits. In July, Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford announced Mr. Kelly had been appointed to a seven-year term on the board starting Oct. 13. The NEB voiced concerns Friday about the public's "confidence in the impartiality of tribunal decision-makers." To avoid any hint of conflict the three-member panel "has decided on its own volition to strike from the hearing record all evidence prepared by or the under the direction of Mr. Kelly." The panel has directed Enbridge's pipeline rival to list any other evidence Mr. Kelly prepared and wants to know whether that material will be replaced. The panel members say they do not know Mr. Kelly personally. Recently, 35 participants dropped out of the review process, calling it "biased" and "unfair."