Merritt pipeline twinning open house on Tuesday
A public information session on the potential twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has run underground through Merritt for 59 years, is scheduled for Tuesday.
The twinning would more than double the volume of oil products pushed through the pipeline, which runs from the Edmonton area to Burnaby.
Representatives from the Trans Mountain Expansion Project will be at the Civic Centre Tuesday between 5 and 8 p.m. to discuss the $4.3 billion project, which, if approved, would begin in 2014. Trans Mountain project director Greg Toth said the information sessions are mutually beneficial for the company and people in communities along the pipeline.
"It's intended to provide information on the project and to raise people's awareness and knowledge on the project," Toth said, "but it's also an opportunity for us to solicit input and feedback on what are the issues and what are the concerns."
The Nicola Watershed Community Round Table, a non-profit group dedicated to informing people in the Nicola Valley about issues and projects affecting the area's sustainability, is promoting the information session.
"The Round Table wanted to encourage people to go out to the open house and get as much information as possible, whether they're pro or con or don't care," Round Table member Libby Petrie said. "There have been leaks and tanker problems in the past so there is a potential there, but if it's up to the government to approve it, the people need to be informed."
Fraser-Nicola MLA Harry Lali said he could not comment on the Trans Mountain twinning until the corporation submits a formal application for the project.
Tuesday's information session is the second in B.C. on the project so far.
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