VANCOUVER – An oil pipeline critic and New Democratic MP from British Columbia says plans by the National Energy Board to perform maintenance on its website this weekend are “ridiculous.”
Burnaby-Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart recently said his community office would hold Saturday computer labs to show people how they could apply online to participate in upcoming hearings on the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion.
The $5.4-billion Trans Mountain pipeline from Edmonton to B.C.’s coast could result in a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic in the waters that surround Vancouver.
But the National Energy Board says on its website that users could experience service interruptions, starting at 6 p.m. this evening and running until 6 a.m. Monday.
Stewart says the public application process was launched last week and is only open for 28 days.
He says the energy board has not made print copies or printable files of the application available so there is no choice but to apply online. Days Stewart:
[quote]With only 20 days yet to go, ‘network maintenance’ that takes the better part of three days is unacceptable and presents yet another challenge for people who want to have their voice heard during the hearing process. Even seeing that notice will discourage people from attempting to apply.[/quote]
seriously though, I believe NOBODY can have a valid opinion – yea or nay – about LNG until they have seen & paid attention to Nature of Things’ “Shattered Ground”, also (Sustainable Campus) Cornell Professor Speaks Out Against Fracking … Anthony Ingraffea, professor of engineering, transitioned from industry insider to implacable fracking opponent ….by Ellen Cantarow via EcoWatch.org 1/5/13 …. he also has DeSmogBlog …. smart & gently funny …the economics are iffy since Australia, & China are strong producers, & China is a strong negotiator for down-sizing revenue expectations And PRof. Ingraffea says of the USA “we are a NATION OF SHODDY PRACTICES…” & “despite the EPA’s efforts, which have caught positive attention from prominent environmental groups…Howarth & Ingraffea remain very matter-of-fact about the REAL ISSUE, WHICH HINGES ON A NATION-WIDE SPREAD OF POOR PRACTICE. Gas production is PLAGUED WITH ‘ONGOING EMISSION’ PROBLEMS & the EPA’s emission standards – while a step in the right direction – JUST AREN’T ENOUGH TO MAKE THE CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR PRACTICE GO AWAY.” (my ‘caps’)
actually, I meant ‘Australia & RUSSIA are strong producers …” sorry
I’ve suspected this kind of tactic’s been at play with BC Hydro and BC Ferries, both inviting submissions to their respective commissions but, for some reason, their sites are down.
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the courtroom is the only place where the necessary amount of scrutiny can be exercised, which, for obvious reasons, is just another way to disenfranchise citizen input.
The fix’s in.
Of course, scientists are muzzled, LIBRARIANS & ARCHIVISTS too, for heaven sakes! why not all the scruffy public????
From what I remember about credit union website maintenance, I was a director, the website would usually be turned off for a matter of minutes when major changes were made. Occasionally the change caused glitches and when it the site was turned back on, the programmers worked as close to light speed as they could to fix the ‘improvements’.
Of course it’s to avoid scrutiny!
I hate to think this is to avoid scrutiny…