Prince George resident Doug Beckett is asking the National Energy Board to not only dismiss the application to build the Northern Gateway pipeline, but also deny Enbridge the right to submit any other environmental assessment applications for 15 years.
In his 17-page final argument filed with the board's Joint Review Panel this week, Beckett criticized the process being used to adjudicate the environmental assessment for the plan to connect Alberta's oilsands with Kitimat via a pipeline and construct an export terminal.
"I am disappointed in how closely the environmental assessment process resembled a murder trial where the accused attempts to restrict evidence from being placed on the record so they are less likely to be found guilty," Beckett wrote. "The environmental assessment must be changed so that it is a science-based forum that is inclusive of all information and promotes decisions in the best interest of the public and the utilization and protection of the public's resource and values."
Beckett detailed his frustration with the answers Enbridge gave during the hearings and the company's decision to withhold some material from the public based on proprietary principles. He also called for an environmental review of the cumulative effects of continued development of the oilsands as well as its impact on climate change.
"It is my conclusion that Enbridge has submitted propaganda that is self-serving of its private interests, and that in meeting the Enbridge corporate interests the public's interests would be compromised," Beckett wrote. "As such, the test of public interest and public benefit has not been met and therefore the project is not in the public's interest."
Beckett called on the panel to reject the Northern Gateway application, ban the company from submitting any future applications as a deterrent to other possible proponents and ban any witnesses who testified on behalf of Northern Gateway from testifying at any future National Energy Board hearing for three years "to encourage future witnesses to be co-operative throughout the environmental review."
Other submissions are taking a gentler approach to the Northern Gateway proposal.
The Sherwood Park Fish and Game Association described Enbridge as "the devil we know" in its two-page final written argument.
"We have gotten to know them fairly well over the past few years, we could do worse," the Alberta-based wildlife conservation group wrote.
The organization said their main concern was the protection of wildlife resources and said they were concerned about the risk of spill but were also impressed with who Enbridge cleaned up after the infamous 2010 spill in Michigan.
"So, Joint Review Panel, it's your call," the group wrote. "You're getting all kinds of advice from all kinds of well-meaning folks. Recommend denial, or recommend approval with conditions, it's no skin off our nose."
Written final arguments from Northern Gateway and all the interveners are due on Friday. The final oral arguments are set to begin on June 17 in Terrace.
After the arguments are complete, the three-member joint review panel will prepare its final recommendations which are expected to be released in late December.
