Enbridge Northern Gateway’s application to proceed with field work at its proposed Endako River crossing near Burns Lake came before the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) board of directors on Oct. 24, 2013.
The Endako River, or the Narrows, is a short channel connecting Burns Lake and Decker Lake. The proposed field work area is at the west end of the channel, outside of the Village of Burns Lake municipal limits.
The application seeks a two-year time frame within which to conduct geophysical surveys and drilling to test subsurface conditions and collect technical data from four test sites. The application is for license to cut timber under the forest act, and a temporary water use permit under the water act.
The data collected will be, according to a Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) staff report, used to evaluate the proposed Enbridge pipeline project.
In response to the invitation to comment on the application, the RDBN recognized the application did not affect its interests in terms of the limited range of interests the RDBN is able to comment on, but they did recommended as a board that Enbridge contact nearby residents and the Burns Lake Band, ‘to ensure that the proposed land use of the property does not unnecessarily impact area residents.”
Steve Freeman, RDBN director area E, and District of Fort St. James Director, Mayor Rob MacDougall, had their objection to the application noted for the record.
According to the application documents, the work will likely not start until the summer of 2014.
The temporary use permit application is subject to approval from the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. At press time, Lakes District News was unable to verify if the permit had already been granted or when a decision will be made regarding the application.
