CORNWALL, Ontario – An oil pipeline that runs past Cornwall along Highway 401 will soon begin operation following National Energy Board (NEB) approval.
The much-ballyhooed Line 9 will be used by Enbridge Inc. to send oil from Western Canada through to Sarnia and on to Montreal.
The 2.5-foot pipe will contain pressurized oil and has been the subject of intense scrutiny and even criticism since Enbridge announced it wanted to use the infrastructure to increase flow eastward.
The startup of the pipeline has been delayed over environmental worries, including the protection of water crossings along the route. Enbridge has completed high-pressure water testing on three portions of the line west of Cornwall.
“The successful (tests) confirm the NEB’s confidence in the integrity of the pipeline and its confidence that the line can safely be returned to operation,” read a media release from the regulator.
Line 9 was built in 1976 to carry oil eastward, but for the last 17 years was allowed to transport foreign oil into the western reaches of the country.
Critics have spoken out about the 60,000 extra barrels a day the company intends to carry.
The NEB indicates there are strict conditions for Line 9 in the first year that includes patrols every two weeks and integrity testing of the pipeline quarterly.
Enbridge also has to limit the pressure of the pipeline for the first year.
