The Joint Review Panel for the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project released a schedule for the first set of community hearings last week.

The panel is an independent body, mandated by the Minister of the Environment and the National Energy Board that will assess the environmental effects of the project and review the application under both the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the National Energy Board Act. Community hearings give members of the public, community groups and local governments an opportunity to participate in the process.

The hearings are set to begin in Kitimat on Jan. 10 and 11, 2012 and pass through a number of communities in B.C. and Alberta.

亚洲天堂 Lake's meeting is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2012 and will be held at the Island Gospel Church.

The panel is then scheduled to hold meetings in Prince George, Fort St. James and Edmonton.

Hearings are also scheduled for February in Prince Rupert, Queen Charlotte City, Grand Prairie and Masset.

There are 216 registered intervenors in the process including the Village of 亚洲天堂 Lake, the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako, MP for Skeena Bulkley Valley Nathan Cullen, Lake Babine Nation, the Lakes District Clean Waters Coalition, the Office of the Wet'suwet'en and the University of Northern British Columbia.

Participating as an intervenor allows groups and individuals to submit written questions and evidence, or with permission, orally during the community hearings, question other intervenors and Northern Gateway representatives orally at the final hearings, receive all documents submitted in the joint review process including notices of motion and related materials and submit a final argument. Local residents that have registered will also have the opportunity to provide a 10 minute oral statement during the community hearings. There is a total of 4210 requests to make an oral statement during the Joint Review Panel process.

Registration for making an oral statement and becoming an intervenor has now closed. The panel anticipates releasing the Environmental Assessment Report in the fall of 2013 and its final decision on the project towards the end of 2013.