News Release Archive
PREMIER--PREMIER SAYS QUEBEC PIPELINE "TOO LATE" ----------------------------------------------------------------- A proposal to pipe Nova Scotia offshore gas to Boston via Quebec "comes too late and could very well delay the Sable project," Premier John Savage said today. "This is the second such pipeline announcement by Gaz Metropolitan and TransCanada Pipelines in the past 12 months. They've had a year to prepare a formal development plan. But they haven't done that. Now they're back again, just weeks before the joint review panel hearings are to begin and asking for delays. Delays are certainly not in the best interests of Nova Scotians and won't be tolerated." Premier Savage said Gaz Metropolitan is attempting to gain a bigger slice of the Canadian gas distribution business. It is being supported by the Government of Quebec, a major shareholder in Gaz Metropolitan. "The Quebec government wants Quebecers to profit from a Nova Scotia resource even if it means the project is delayed. That's not in the best interest of Nova Scotia. Our goal is to ensure that Nova Scotia receive optimum benefits for its gas. That won't be possible if the Sable project is delayed." The premier said the companies have announced they intend to file a formal application by the end of the summer. "That seems to be overly optimistic. Their project still faces a significant number of obstacles, including receiving environmental approvals, some of which can take 12 to 18 months to obtain." "This eleventh hour interest in Sable is all about delaying the project. That's all that they're doing. It's an attempt to destabilize and delay the Sable project by introducing a second pipeline proposal just as formal Sable regulatory hearings are to begin. A delay would give them time to get their act together." The premier said Nova Scotia is adamant that there be no delays in the Sable Offshore Energy Project. Maritimes and Northeast Pipelines is the only company to have an actual plan before the review panel. "Companies who wanted to be part of the Sable project should have been in the game much earlier. They should have put their plans and their money up front. There is only one real pipeline proposal on the table, the one filed by Maritimes and Northeast Pipelines." The premier said in filing for the onshore pipeline part of the Sable project, Maritimes and Northeast is, at the very least, a year ahead of Gaz Metropolitan and TransCanada Pipelines. "Maritimes and Northeast has taken the necessary steps in the approval process. They have consulted extensively with government. Public meetings have been held, landowners consulted and detailed plans filed with the regulatory panel." "If other companies, including Gaz Metropolitan, were really serious about meeting the timetable for the Sable gas project, they would have filed their plans long before this. We can only conclude that talk of additional pipeline proposals is just that, talk. Or perhaps its just the case of two companies attempting to derail the plans of another." -30- Contact: David Harrigan 902-424-6600 trp Mar. 10, 1997 - 8:50 a.m.