NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD RELEASES PROCESS GUIDE FOR SPILL CLEAN-UP

For immediate release
20 May 2011

CALGARY – The National Energy Board (NEB) has released a new guide that provides direction to energy companies on the NEB’s process for cleaning up soil and groundwater contamination.

The Remediation Process Guide released today was drafted following an extensive consultation period in 2010, including a public Technical Meeting.

“The regulation of safe and secure energy facilities is the NEB’s number one goal,” said NEB Chair and CEO Gaétan Caron. “If an NEB-regulated facility experiences a spill, the site must be cleaned up to the satisfaction of the Board”.

The new guide calls for companies to address contamination regardless of whether it is reportable or not and whether it occurred recently or is an historic event. Companies are to conduct an environmental site assessment and submit appropriate remediation plans for approval by the NEB. These approved plans explain how the company will clean up a contaminated site.

The NEB requires the company to follow the most stringent provincial or federal criteria for remediation when setting targets in their clean-up plans. Once cleanup is complete, a remediation closure report is to be filed to confirm that criteria have been met.

The NEB is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada's energy industry. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest.

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This news release is available on the NEB’s Internet site at www.neb‑one.gc.ca under What’s New!

For further information:      Carole Léger-Kubeczek

                                                Email: carole.leger-kubeczek@neb-one.gc.ca
Communications Officer
Telephone: 403-299-2717
TTY (teletype): 1-800-632-1663