2006 Nov 6: 3rd public consultation on Portlands natural gas pipeline

On Wednesday, October 11, there was a second public consultation on what is being called a pipeline “reinforcement” for the line feeding the Portlands power plant (in reality a massive expansion, with a substantially larger pipe and increased pressure).  This meeting generated a far smaller crowd than the first and the following day, we learned why.  Most local residents received their notices regarding the event the day after it happened, including a number of Green supporters who contacted me.

Because of the number of public complaints, Stantec, the consulting company which is organizing these consultations, arranged for a third public consultation, and has just announced the date.

Portlands Pipeline Reinforcement Consultation
(Open house)
Monday, November 6, 2006, 6-9 pm
Toronto Fire Academy, 895 Eastern Ave
(between Leslie St & Coxwell Ave). Free.

I urge everyone to attend and make your concerns known.  You might want to bring up the fact that the entire Portlands area is heavily contaminated and there are concerns about releasing the contaminants into the air when the soil is exposed and overturned.  Or you may want to question the fundamental rationale of installing expensive infrastructure, that will eventually be paid for on your gas bill, for a project which is wasteful and economically questionable in a time when natural gas is in decline and will soon become desperately needed for home heating and other priorities.