News Release Archive

NATURAL RESOURCES--PANEL APPOINTED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW
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A five person panel was established today to conduct the joint
public review of the Sable Gas Projects. The panel is chaired by
Dr. Robert Fournier of Dalhousie University with the other
members being Dr. John Sears, Saint Francis Xavier University
(retired), Ms. Jessie Davies, University of New Brunswick, Mr.
Kenneth W. Vollman, National Energy Board and Mme. Anita
Cote-Verhaaf, National Energy Board.

The panel was established pursuant to the agreement for a joint
public review of the Sable Gas Projects. This agreement was
developed to avoid jurisdictional overlap and duplication and was
announced by the signatories on July 17, 1996. The parties to the
agreement are the Nova Scotia ministers of Environment and
Natural Resources, the National Energy Board and Canada-Nova
Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, the federal ministers of
Environment and Natural Resources.

The Sable Gas Projects will have both offshore and onshore
components which will require public review. Mobil Oil Canada
Properties and its partners have already made an application to
the regulators for the development of six natural gas fields near
Sable Island, known as the Sable Gas Offshore Project.

The proposal also includes the transportation of natural gas via
submarine pipeline to a landfall site near Country Harbour, Nova
Scotia, a gas plant and a pipeline to transport natural gas
liquids to Port Tupper, Nova Scotia. The Maritimes and Northeast
Pipeline Project has given notice that it will make an
application to the regulators to build a pipeline to transport
natural gas from Country Harbour through Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick to markets in the Maritimes and New England.

Public hearings will be held in both provinces. Times and
locations of the hearings will be announced at a later date. A
secretariat office has been established in Halifax to provide
technical and administrative support to the review panel.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: A backgrounder is available on panel members by
calling 902-424-4492 or 1-800-670-4357.

Contact: Edward Sampson  902-496-5112

trp                     September 10, 1996 - 12:45 p.m.