Dear Editor,
I request that Langley Township council participate in the National Energy Board (NEB) process to advocate for Langley residents and taxpayers regarding the proposed Kinder Morgan bitumen pipeline that will run through the Salmon River and cross the Yorkson Creek north of 98th Avenue.
Council needs to hear from more residents and community groups on this matter, and participate with the NEB process.
Kinder Morgan has done an impressive public relations campaign, but as a resident with local environmental concerns, I find the Kinder Morgan campaign overwhelming.
Who has time and capability to review a 15,000-page Kinder Morgan document (I tried) to determine how it will relate to their community?
Council should participate on our behalf, by hiring or appointing qualified staff to participate in the NEB process, and the Township should send Kinder Morgan the invoice for the cost.
This is one of the largest capital-resource-based projects to impact the Township directly in recent years, aside from Highway One work and the Golden Ears Bridge, and the Township should be involved 100 per cent, from onset to completion.
When I attended the Kinder Morgan conference in early June 2013, there were Township staff present, and there was considerable dialogue back and forth on several issues, ranging from water quality to road crossings, safety along railway corridors to creating bicycle paths and walking trails along the pipeline route, and more.
Kinder Morgan gave the impression there would be consideration or concessions made to this regard, and it is up to the Township to pursue these benefits for residents.
Natal Cicuto, Langley