Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Lily Lake Pavilion
Claude MacKinnon, Co-Chair
Robin McAdam, President Brunswick Pipeline
Susan Harris
Al McDougall
Horst Sauerteig
Christine Saumure
Midge Thompson
David Peterson, NB Department of Environment Compliance Officer
Peter Hanlon, City of Saint John Project Liaison
Chris Blair of Jacques Whitford was to make a presentation on the Environmental Protection Plan and Wet Crossing, however, he was unable to travel to Saint John due to the weather. His presentation has been postponed to a later, undetermined date.
The rest of the agenda was accepted as presented.
The minutes were accepted without changes.
Item #1: Cards for Committee members: Item to carrying forward to next meeting; cards should be ready to hand out by then.
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: Number of Saint Johners working on pipeline: Included with February 27, 2008 meeting kit.
Item #5: Data from bore Hole Testing: Waiting on written summary- Carry Forward.
In Chris Blair’s absence, Robin McAdam gave a brief overview of the Wet Crossing Application filed by Brunswick Pipeline. The company has submitted an application for a Wet Crossing for the St. John River as a contingency plan in the event that the Horizontal Directional Drilling being performed below the St. John River is unsuccessful. The Wet Crossing method is more costly and requires that a trench be opened for the pipe to be laid in and backfilled as opposed to the HDD where the hole is drilled to fit the pipe. If the HDD is unsuccessful, the Wet Crossing application would be the next best plan; however, it will produce a challenge in the way of completing this section of the pipeline in time to meet our in-service target date. A wet crossing would also require further studies including, for example, additional environmental testing such as identifying and assessing contaminates in rock sediments.
The HDD method has been successful so far. The Spar Cove pilot hole drill has reached about mid- river, bringing it to 36% completion. The pilot hole drill from the Milford side will begin the week of March 1, 2008, with the two projected to meet and connect on March 17, 2008. Once this is finished, a series of reams of the hole will be done to enlarge the hole to the required 42 inch diameter. Drill mud is used in the drilling to cool the heat of friction between the drill and rock. The cycling of the drill mud into and out of the hole also washes the rock cuttings back to above-ground, where cuttings are filtered out. The drill mud is then reused and the cuttings disposed of at an approved disposal site. Drill mud in the hole will also be left to cushion the pipe string when it is pulled through from the Milford side to the Spar Cove side. So far, rock cuttings from the drilling are of a similar size which indicates good progress and solid rock in which the drill is being done.
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: 20.8km/30.0km = 69%
* Rural: 100km/115km = 87%
Clearing:
* Urban: 17 % complete (remainder to be cleared or does not require clearing)
* Rural: 59 %
Grading:
* Urban: 9 %, currently grading in north Saint John between Forbes Drive and Spar Cove
* Rural grading will begin in May 2008
Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) of the St. John River:
* Spar Cove side: 36 % of pilot hole completed
* Milford side: equipment is being installed in the noise mitigation tent is erected; drilling to begin in early March
* the Spar Cove and Milford pilot hole drills should meet approximately mid-March
* meeting point will be below ground near the Milford shore.
Rockwood Park:
* clearing and grading have been completed
* trenching: 90%
* have begun stringing pipe (laying pipe joints alongside the trench/RoW)
Pipe delivery by train:
* we have received approximately 44% of the pipe
* on target for the last delivery by approximately mid-March
Employment:
* Total number employed: 215
* Total number hired locally: 120
i. Horst Sauerteig Letter re: NEB Criteria for Detailed Route Interveners – requesting the Committee consider writing a letter to the NEB. Robin McAdam advised that the NEB has issued notice that is has begun a review of how they determine detailed routes and deal with land owners. Brunswick Pipeline has agreed to participate in the consultation process as well. It was suggested that the BPSJCLC could make a presentation to the NEB on behalf of the citizens and communities involved. The Committee has agreed to wait for the NEB’s review process to begin before writing a letter about Horst’s concern.
ii. Horst Sauerteig Letter re: Wet Crossing Contingency Plan Questions: A response from Brunswick Pipeline has been sent to Horst, and a copy of both provided to the Committee.
iii. Robin McAdam stressed the importance of using the correct terminology when speaking to the community in regard to the pipeline, particularly regarding use of the word “explosion”. Robin explained that an explosion will only occur if gas is ignited in a confined space. The transmission line is located in the outdoors. It is not connected directly into homes, for example, where the gas could collect in a confined space. If a cloud of natural gas were to ignite, a ‘flash fire’ would occur, which is similar to the ignition of gas that builds up in a barbecue. However, since natural gas is lighter than air, it would generally rise and dissipate into the atmosphere, and would therefore offer little likelihood of building up to create such an event.
Susan is looking into setting up tours of the HDD sites for the Committee members. She will report back to the Committee when additional information is available as to date and time.
Thursday, March 13, 2008, Milford Community Centre (Note: The location was previously advised to be the Champlain Heights Elementary School. However, Robin McAdam will be away on March 13 but wants to be present for the Champlain Heights location meeting. As a result, the March meeting will be held in Milford, and Champlain Heights rebooked for April 17, 2008 if possible.)
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