National Energy Board will hear Westcoast's application for a gas processing
facility

CALGARY , Jan. 25 /CNW/ - The National Energy Board (NEB) will hold an oral public hearing to consider an application submitted by Westcoast Energy Inc. (Westcoast) for the Fort Nelson North Processing Facility. Approval to construct and operate this gas processing facility is being requested based on a need to accommodate increased production and demand on the east side of the Horn River basin.

With an in-service date of May 2012 , the project would also involve land clearing activities, onsite power generation, as well as the construction and operation of a 775 metre all-season access road. The total footprint required for the project would be approximately 80 hectares, of which 50 hectares would require clearing.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. , on 20 April 2010 , at a location to be determined.

Interested persons are invited to participate in this hearing in one of three ways:

    
    (i) by seeking intervenor status,
    (ii) by filing a letter of comment, or
    (iii) by making an oral statement to the Board.
    

To be considered for intervenor status, applications must be submitted by noon (MST) on Thursday, 11 February 2010 ; letters of comment and letters requesting permission to make an oral statement are due by noon (MST) on Monday, 15 March 2010 . The above documents must be sent to the Acting Secretary of the Board, and a copy sent to Westcoast and its counsel.

On-line application forms are available on the NEB's Internet site at www.neb-one.gc.ca. Under the "Regulatory Documents" heading, click on "Submit Document Electronically", and then click on "Letter of Comment" or "Request to Make an Oral Statement".

Public Notices providing additional information about this application and the hearing process will be published in local newspapers during the coming week.

The hearing will be broadcast live over the NEB's Internet site. Anyone wishing to listen to the daily proceedings should log onto www.neb-one.gc.ca and follow instructions under "Hearings".

The NEB is an independent federal agency that regulates parts of Canada's energy industry. Its purpose is to promote safety and security, environmental protection, and efficient energy infrastructure and markets in the Canadian public interest, within the mandate set by Parliament in the regulation of pipelines, energy development and trade.

This news release and Hearing Order GH-1-2010 are available on the NEB's Internet site at www.neb-one.gc.ca under What's New!

For further information: Carole Léger-Kubeczek, ([email protected]), Communications Officer, Telephone: [phone]