Northern Gateway Pipeline Project - Availability of funding to participate in
environmental review - Deadline for applications

OTTAWA , Dec. 4 /CNW/ - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) is making available $600,000 under its Participant Funding Program to assist groups and individuals to participate in the environmental review of the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline Project.

The deadline to submit a funding application is December 18, 2009 . Funding applications received by the Agency by this date will be considered.

The Joint Review Panel Agreement has been released. It describes the Panel's terms of reference as well as the process to be followed for conducting the joint panel review. This will help applicants finalize their application for funding.

This funding is being made available to help successful applicants review and comment on the application to be submitted by the proponent, Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines. The application will include the environmental impact statement. The funding may also be used to prepare for and participate in the public hearings that will be announced at a later date.

A funding review committee, independent of the review process, will consider all applications and make recommendations on the allocation of funds.

Information on the funding program, the proposed project, and the environmental assessment process is available on the Agency's Web site at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca , registry number 06-05-21799.

Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines proposes to construct and operate two pipelines, 1,170 km in length, between an inland terminal at Bruderheim, Alberta and a marine terminal near Kitimat, British Columbia. About 500 km of pipeline will be in Alberta and 670 km in British Columbia. One of the pipelines will carry petroleum west to Kitimat and the other line will carry condensate east to Bruderheim. The project also includes the construction and operation of an integrated marine infrastructure at tidewater to accommodate loading and unloading of oil and condensate tankers and marine transportation of oil and condensate.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.

For further information: Media may contact: Annie Roy, Manager, Communications, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Tel.: [phone]