CALGARY, Alberta, July 18, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Energy Board (NEB or the Board) is launching an Action Plan on Safety and Environmental Protection to improve results in four key areas – worker safety, integrity of installations, damage prevention, and emergency preparedness and response.
"This Action Plan has been developed as part of our focus on continual improvement," said Board Chair and CEO Gaétan Caron. "We have a responsibility to hold those we regulate accountable for results that are in the public interest, and also to continually update our own programs."
During 2011-2012, the NEB will further clarify its expectations of industry and those working near pipelines, improve public access to Board information, and take more explicit actions on safety and environmental protection.
As part of its Plan, the Board will convene a forum on pipeline and facility safety by September 2012. Through this forum, the Board intends to collaborate with other regulators, and incorporate the expertise of industry and others, in the development of solutions.
The NEB will strengthen expectations in several areas:
- Clarify management system requirements under the Onshore Pipeline Regulation. The NEB expects companies to take a systematic approach to manage and reduce risks related to safety and environmental protection, and will hold companies accountable for the effectiveness of their management systems.
- Clarify and formalize its approach to reports of unauthorized activities on rights-of-way and in safety zones.
- Improve measures of industry performance in safety and environmental protection.
The Board will also improve public accessibility of information about NEB programs and the performance of regulated companies with respect to safety and environmental protection.
The Action Plan on Safety and Environmental Protection can be found on the NEB's safety web pages. Updates and announcements on the Plan will be published on the NEB safety web pages on an ongoing basis.
The NEB is an independent federal agency that regulates several 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.
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This news release is available on the NEB's Internet site at www.neb-one.gc.ca under What's New!
For further information:
Vicki Barnett
Communications Officer
National Energy Board
E-mail: vicki.barnett@neb-one.gc.ca
Telephone: 403-221-3262
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Telecopier: 403-292-5503
Telecopier (toll free): 1-877-288-8803
TTY (Teletype): 1-800-632-1663
Related documents:
For a copy of documents:
National Energy Board
Ground Floor
444 Seventh Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 0X8
E-mail: library@neb-one.gc.ca
Telephone: 403-299-3561
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Telecopier: 403-292-5576
Telecopier (toll free): 1-877-288-8803
TTY (teletype): 1-800-632-1663
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