Compliance verification activity type: Field Inspection
Team:
Regulated company: TransCanada PipeLines Limited
Operating company: TransCanada PipeLines Limited (TransCanada)
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In May 2012 TransCanada PipeLines Limited (TransCanada) received the National Energy Board (NEB) Letter Decision and Order (XG-T211-008-2012), pursuant to Section 58 of the National Energy Board Act. (NEB Act), for the construction and operation of the 2012 Eastern Mainline Expansion Project which includes the Parkway Loop East Section and the Parkway Loop West Section pipeline (The Project). The Project is located in southeast Ontario and consists of approximately 13 km of 1067 mm (NPS 42) diameter pipeline for the transport of sweet natural gas by looping the existing TransCanada 200-2 pipeline Mainline Segment. The Parkway Loop West Section is a 9.8 km segment in the municipality of Brampton and the Parkway Loop East Section is a 3.1 km segment within the city limits of Vaughan and the Regional Municipality of York. Pursuant to Condition 13 of Order XG-T211-008-2012, TransCanada was required to monitor and file Post-Construction Monitoring Reports (PCMR) for the 2012 Eastern Mainline Expansion for a period of ten years following commencement of operations of the Parkway Loops. The primary focus of this field inspection (Activity CV1617-212) is related to environmental program requirements, the adequacy of reclamation, as well as ongoing monitoring of the Parkway East & West Loops Right-of-way (RoW) and temporary work space (TWS). This inspection is conducted as a follow-up to Activity CV1516-185, assertions made in the first year PCMR and TransCanada’s responses to associated Information Requests (IRs), and previous NEB compliance activities (since 2012), as well as known or historic landowner issues and concerns. It is inclusive of but not limited to effectiveness of mitigation for woodlots, riparian areas, and species-at-risk habitat. Although environmental protection is the main theme/discipline of the inspection, other program areas such as Safety, Damage Prevention and their regulatory obligations are also included along with some adjacent facilities and activities in select areas alongside the Project RoW.
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Observation 1 - East Parkway Loop – 26 July 2016
Date & time of visit: 2016-07-26 09:00
Discipline: Environmental Protection
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Facility:
Observations:
Following the Opening Meeting, NEB Inspection Staff, accompanied by TransCanada Representatives and TransCanada Contractors, proceeded to inspect the East Parkway Loop right-of-way (RoW) in Vaughan.Summary Comments and Observations
Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used
Observation 2 - West Parkway Loop – 27 July 2016
Date & time of visit: 2016-07-27 07:05
Following a Tailgate/Safety briefing, NEB Inspection Staff, accompanied by TransCanada Representatives and TransCanada Contractors, proceeded to inspect the West Parkway Loop RoW, beginning in Brampton at Valve Site MLV-203A. The inspection concluded at Valve Site MLV 204-3.Summary Comments and Observations
Observation 3 - Document Review – TransCanada Bolton Office – 28 July 2016
Date & time of visit: 2016-07-28 09:00
Throughout the course of the inspection, during field activities and/or during meetings and a documentation review on Thursday 28 July 2016, NEB Inspection Staff examined and discussed details of TransCanada documentation including but not limited to the following:
Identified non-compliances to company plans or procedures are non-compliances either to:
- the condition of an authorization document that requires the implementation of that plan or procedure; or
- the relevant section of the regulations that requires implementation of that plan or procedure including those sections that require implementation of plans or procedures as a part of a Program