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Pipeline Crossings Working Group

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Public Participation and Land Matters

Father surveying hay field with son in his arms

The National Energy Board (NEB) has followed through on its commitment to develop new guidance promoting safe pipeline crossings related to agricultural activities.

The Guidance is designed to support the safety and security of NEB-regulated pipelines and the people who live and work near them. It provides greater clarity for landowners, land users, and pipeline companies to identify situations where farming vehicles and mobile equipment can cross NEB-regulated pipelines without the need for further permission from the pipeline company.

Regulatory Documents

  • 2011-01-20
    Letter to All Oil and Gas Companies Regulated under the National Energy Board Act - Direction to comply with NEB Order MO-21-2010 - An Exemption Order Respecting Crossings by Agricultural Vehicles or Mobile Equipment [Filing A27979]
  • 2010-12-22
    LMCI Action 1.2 - Approval and Issuance of Exemption Order MO-21-2010 and Guidance for Safe Crossings of NEB-Regulated Pipelines Using Agricultural Vehicles and Mobile Equipment [Filing A27788]
  • 2010-11-01
    Letter to Interested Parties for the Land Matters Consultation Initiative (LMCI) Streams 1 and 2 [Filing A27124]
    • Draft Guidance for Safe Crossings of NEB Regulated Pipelines Using Agricultural Vehicles and Mobile Equipment [Filing A27124]
    • Draft Exemption Order pursuant to Section 112(5)(c) [Filing A27124]

News Releases

Background Information

One of the key issues raised during the Land Matters Consultation Initiative (LMCI) was the need for landowners and land users to have clear, consistent, and straightforward practices for crossing pipelines with farming vehicles and equipment.

This issue was addressed in the May 2009 LMCI Final Report [Filing A21836] under Action 1.2 - develop additional guidance on crossings to support safety and security of pipelines. One of the approaches recommended for delivering on this Action was for interested parties to work together to develop standards for key crossings-related issues.

In July 2010, the Board established the Pipeline Crossings Working Group (PCWG) - comprised of land users, industry associations, pipeline companies, and the National Energy Board - to develop additional guidance that addresses the following key issues identified in Action 1.2 of the LMCI Final Report:

  • blanket crossing agreements;
  • definition of 'normal farming operations' and typical types of equipment that do not require additional crossing authorizations;
  • depth of cover requirements; and
  • company response times for crossing requests.

The final outcome is a set of guidance that provides clear, consistent, and straightforward expectations and practices for crossing NEB-regulated pipeline rights of way with farming vehicles and equipment. This guidance is a reference for landowners, land users, and pipeline operators.

Pipeline Crossings Working Group

Members of the Pipeline Crossings Working Group include (from left to right):

Front row: Garry Loiselle - Member (Landowner - Dawson Creek, B.C.), Lorna Patterson - NEB Facilitator, Alec Chingee - Member (McLeod Lake Indian Band), Greg Dixon - Member (Landowner - Hope, B.C.), Réal St-Denis - Member (Landowner - Saint-Sébastien, QC), Daryl Mork - Member (Landowner - Cremona, AB)

Back row: Josie Stiles - NEB Facilitator, Al Conquergood - Member (Trans-Northern Pipeline Inc.), Patrick Smyth - Member and Chair (NEB), Marlow Currie - Member (National Energy Board), Ziad Saad - Member (Canadian Energy Pipeline Association), Patrick Leys - Member (TransCanada PipeLines Ltd.), Warren Loper - Member (Enbridge Pipelines Inc.), John Kellock - Member (Kellock R/W Land Management Inc.)

Missing: David Tougas - Member (Union des producteurs agricoles du Québec)

Members of the Pipeline Crossings Working Group

 

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Date Modified:
2012-02-03