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Enbridge announces final hearings

The Enbridge Northern Gateway joint review panel has announced that final hearings for questioning will take place in Edmonton, Prince George and Prince Rupert, starting in early September.The panel said it chose these locations because they are centrally located, have adequate facilities and reasonable transportation access.Participants who can't attend three different hearing locations for questioning will be able to take part remotely. Anyone who wants will be able to listen to the final hearings live through a webcast available through the panel's website. Parties may also be able to participate remotely by telephone or other technology like videoconference, if it can be arranged.Different issues will be dealt with at each of the locations. The hearings in Edmonton will cover the economic need for the project, the potential impacts of the proposed project on commercial interests, and financial and tolling matters. The panel expects to hold hearings in Edmonton between Sept. 4 and 28, although this is a preliminary timeline that could change.The Prince George hearings, scheduled for Oct. 1 to Nov. 10, will cover environmental effects associated with the pipeline, socio-economic effects, the potential impacts on landowners and land use, routing, design and construction of the pipeline and marine terminal, and operations, safety, accident prevention and response.Finally, the panel has tentatively scheduled several weeks for final hearings in Prince Rupert between Nov. 12 and Dec. 18. The Prince Rupert sessions will cover the potential impacts of the project on aboriginal rights and interests, environmental effects associated with the marine terminal and marine shipping, socio-economic effects associated with the marine terminal and marine shipping, operations, safety, accident prevention and response related to the marine terminal and marine transportation, and engagement and consultation.The hearings will run from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am until 3:30 pm, and on Saturdays from 8:30 am until 12:30 pm. More information about the schedule will be released closer to the start of the final hearings.