National Energy Board to begin Mackenzie Gas Project hearing on 25 January 2006

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05/30
For immediate release
20 December 2005

National Energy Board to begin Mackenzie Gas Project hearing on 25 January 2006

CALGARY - The National Energy Board (NEB) will begin its public hearing on the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project in Inuvik on Wednesday, 25 January 2006.

The NEB set its hearing schedule after obtaining comments in communities during a Pre-Hearing Planning Conference in four Northwest Territories locations and through feedback received in writing and by phone.

"In setting the schedule, we wanted to ensure that people affected by the project have full opportunity to participate in the review process," said National Energy Board Chairman and CEO Kenneth Vollman, one of three NEB members selected for the Mackenzie Gas Project hearing.

Vollman noted that the schedule is coordinated with the environmental assessment process conducted by the Joint Review

The NEB is an independent federal agency that regulates several parts of Canada's energy industry. Its purpose is to promote safety and security, environmental protection, and efficient energy infrastructure and markets in the Canadian public interest, within the mandate set by Parliament in the regulation of pipelines, energy development and trade.

Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project (JRP.) A Cooperation Plan designed to reduce regulatory duplication and provide clarity of process was signed in 2002.

The JRP focus is on the environmental, socio-economic, and cultural issues of the project. The NEB will consider all other issues including engineering, safety and economic matters and will make a decision on whether the project is in the public interest after receiving the JRP's report and the response to it from the Government of Canada.

The hearing schedule is attached.

Attachment 1

Schedule for the NEB Hearings

Location	Hearing Topics	Hearing Dates (2006)	Duration
Inuvik	General; Development Plans; Supply studies (Gilbert Lausten Jung Associates report from the Applicants and Sproule Associates Limited report from the Mackenzie Explorers Group) and the market study from Navigant Consulting	January 25 - February 2	7 days
Norman Wells	General; Engineering - Pipeline Design and Materials; Engineering - Facilities	April 24-28	5 days
Fort Good Hope	General; Tolls and Tariffs	May 29-31	3 days
Tulita	General	June 1	1 day
Yellowknife	General; Engineering (all topics); Economic Feasibility; Tolls and Tariffs	July 24 - August 4	10 days
Fort Providence	General; Engineering - Logistics and Transportation	September 25-26	2 days
High Level	General	September 27-28	2 days
Hay River	General; Engineering - Logistics and Transportation	September 29-30 and October 2	3 days
Wrigley	General; Engineering - Slopes and Water Crossings	October 3	1 day
Fort Simpson	General; Engineering - Slopes and Water Crossings	October 4-6	3 days
Spare Hearing Days		October 30 - November 3	5 days
Inuvik	General; Economic Feasibility; Commercial Access and Fees; Tolls and Tariffs	November 20-24	5 days
Colville Lake	General; Tolls and Tariffs	November 27	1 day
Inuvik	General; Economic Feasibility; Commercial Access and Fees; Tolls and Tariffs	November 28 - December 1	4 days
Tuktoyaktuk	General	December 4	1 day
Inuvik	General; Economic Feasibility; Commercial Access and Fees; Tolls and Tariffs	December 5-15	9 days

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For further information:

Andrew Cameron
Communications Officer
Telephone: 403-299-3930
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265

Related documents:

• Hearing Schedule and Procedural Update #6 [Filing A10981] provides further information on the National Energy Board's hearing schedule and procedures for the Mackenzie Gas Project based on input received by the NEB during the Pre-Hearing Planning Conference.
• All Regulatory Documents under: Facilities, Gas, Imperial Oil Resources Ventures Limited (Mackenzie Gas Project) , 2004-10-07 - Application for the Construction and Operation of the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline - GH-1-2004 [Folder 338661]
• The coordinated Joint Review Panel / NEB hearing schedule is available on the Northern Gas Project Secretariat Web site at http://www.ngps.nt.ca/.

For a copy of documents:

National Energy Board
library@neb-one.gc.ca
Ground Floor
444 Seventh Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 0X8
Telephone: 403-299-3561
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Telecopier: 403-292-5576
Telecopier (toll free): 1-877-288-8803
TTY (teletype): 1-800-632-1663