Prince Rupert, BC – BC’s Environment Minister says Enbridge’s maritime spill response and prevention plans for the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline are still murky…

"Unfortunately, we’re just not satisfied with the level of detail that Northern Gateway representatives are providing," says Environment Minister, Terry Lake, following cross-examination by government lawyers at the hearings in Prince Rupert this week.  "And that makes it difficult to judge whether they are meeting BC’s conditions for supporting the project."

Lake says reps for the pipeline have said spill response plans won’t be developed until the project has been approved.  He says while the company has committed to localized ‘geographic response plans’ for spills, this has only been specified for the Douglas Channel and not along the entire tanker route.

And BC’s Environment Minister says Northern Gateway’s statement that its spill response commitments go beyond Canadian requirements highlight the need for the federal government to upgrade maritime regulations.  "I’m encouraged that Ottawa is working on closing the gap between current requirements and world-class response to spills," says Lake.  "BC would like to see that done sooner rather than later."

Lake says the Province has concluded its cross-examination, but will continue when the JRP hearings move to environment and human health risk assessment, and then shipping and navigation.