How does the NEB operate?
Applications are made to the Board for any of the activities that the NEB regulates. Decisions on these applications are made in a way that is similar to civil court decisions. For major applications, the NEB holds oral public hearings. Normally a panel of three Board Members makes a decision on the application. Oral hearings are usually held in locations where there is specific interest in the application. Public hearings may also be conducted in writing. Since our mandate begins before applications for infrastructure are filed, and applies throughout the life of the facility, when we have a hearing about a proposed pipeline we recognize we need not solve all of the detailed engineering and environmental issues during the hearing. Many of these issues can be addressed after project approval, during the detailed design phase, the construction phase and the operation phase. The hearing can then focus on issues related to technical and economic feasibility, and the public interest. Under
