Thursday, March 13, 2008
Milford Community Centre
Claude MacKinnon, Co-Chair
Roger Burton, Manager, Engineering, BP
Susan Harris
Horst Sauerteig
Christine Saumure
David Peterson
Midge Thompson
Peter Hanlon
Ellen Murphy
Gordon Dalzell
John Kellock
Guests:
Chris Blair, Environmental Planning, Jacques Whitford Tara Lakeman, Environmental Lead, Brunswick Pipeline
The agenda was accepted as presented.
The minutes were accepted without any changes.
Item #1: Cards for Committee members: Item to carrying forward to next meeting.
Item #2: Tracking of Commitments online: updated at last meeting; item will carry forward.
Item #3: Video of how work unfolds: Carry forward
Item #4: Data from bore Hole Testing: Waiting on written summary- Carry Forward.
Item #5: Tour of Rockwood Park- will arrange for 10- or 12- passenger vans; will continue to discuss the best date and time for everyone.
Item #6: Pipe Pull Through at Milford- Construction Group to look into the question as to whether the trench pipe will be laid before or after the HDD pipe pull through?
Item #7: Schedule Questions- Roger Burton will work with the Construction Group to see if an estimated timeline can be put together to keep the committee and the citizens informed as to when the pipeline will be installed in certain areas of the City. i.e. informed of road closings, etc.
Item #8: Chris Blair from Jacques Whitford will check to see if the Environmental Protection Plan document can be made available to the public at the library. He will report back to Susan Harris who will pass on the information to the Committee.
Item #9: Advertise Meetings to the public, especially the next meeting in Champlain Heights: Susan will review this suggestion with Robin McAdam and report back to the Committee. The group debated whether going back to a regular meeting location would better enable invitations, and how to manage the “supper” portion of the meeting.
i. Chris Blair- Jacques Whitford
Chris Blair provided a detailed overview of the Environmental Protection Plan (EPP). This plan has been approved by the NEB, and also had input from other regulators such as the NB Department of Environment, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, etc. It includes environmental work guidelines that Brunswick Pipeline will follow during construction and during operation of the pipeline. The EPP is a living document which can change even until the last day of construction. There are “control copy” holders who need and receive updates to the document as changes are made. Staff, contractors, Environmental Inspectors and others must continually familiarize themselves with the contents of this document, and even visitors to the site receive an orientation to environmental issues.
The EPP also outlines: environmental compliance, generic mitigation measures; construction activities and environmental practices; project specific environmentally sensitive features; environmental follow- up; contingency/emergency response planning; as well as the forms used by Environmental Inspectors. The EPP is available on the NEB website as well as in the office of Planning & Development in Saint John city hall.
ii. Tara Lakeman- Lead Environmental Inspector for Brunswick Pipeline
Tara Lakeman explained environmental work in practice along the RoW, using a brief slide show of photos from rural clearing and grubbing to Rockwood Park environmental mitigation measures. She explained that her job is to know the Environmental Protection Plan, to educate contractors, employees and visitors about its contents, and to enforce it. She explained that each inspector on the job has a certain section that they are responsible for; if something goes wrong, the Inspectors are authorized to stop the construction. Tara works between Brunswick Pipeline and the field, and takes her role seriously.
iii. John Kellock, Supervisor of Right of Way Agents/Office
John Kellock explained that the Blasting Complaint Process to the Committee. Situations that arise are documented, investigated and a resolution/closure is brought to each file. Some complaints take longer to investigate and resolve than others, but each is dealt with as expeditiously as possible while not rushing the investigation. There is also a Landowner Complaint Resolution System in place, accepted by the NEB, which handles inquiries and complaints from landowners on the RoW. Complaints are included in the Monthly Construction Report that is submitted to the NEB.
Percentage of Detailed Route approved for construction by the NEB (based on a total of 30 km in the urban portion and 115 km in the rural portion):
* Urban: 23km/30.0km = 76%
* Rural: 113km/115km = 98%
Clearing:
* Urban: 17 % complete (remainder to be cleared or does not require clearing)
* Rural: 68 %
Grading:
* Urban: 9 %, currently grading in north Saint John between Forbes Drive and Spar Cove
* Rural grading will begin in May 2008 once the ground has dried from the spring thaw
Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) of the St. John River:
* Spar Cove side: 671 metres completed
* the Spar Cove to Milford pilot hole drills should meet by March 21
* meeting point will be below ground near the Milford (western) shore
Pipe delivery by train:
* 7 of the 10 trains have arrived. The 7th train is being unloaded
* All of the pipe needed for the urban project has arrived and is stockpiled at locations in east and west Saint John
Rockwood Park:
* clearing and grading have been completed
* trenching: 90%
* have begun stringing pipe (laying pipe joints alongside the trench/RoW)
The City of Saint John tender process for the Lily Lake boardwalk/trail has closed, and it expected to go to Common Council for approval and awarding of the tender at the March 17 meeting. Brunswick Pipeline would like to have the trail completed in time for the reopening of the Canada Trail through the Park, which takes place on May 27, 2008.
1. Susan will consider how to set up tours of the Milford or Spar Cove HDD sites for the Committee, and will report back to the Committee.
Thursday, April 17, 2008, Champlain Heights Elementary School, 6-8 p.m.
Download Minutes (PDF, 48 Kb)