A- 54967 PRELIMINARY INFORMATION PACKAGE FOR THE NORTHERN GAS PIPELINE PROJECT PRELIMINARY INFORMATION PACKAGEFOR THE NORTHERN GAS PIPELINE PROJECT VOLUME I TABLE OF CONTENTS I . INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 .. A . Project Descrlptlon................................................................................................................. 1 B. Capital Structure. .................................................................................................................... 4 C . Consortium Approach............................................................................................................ 5 D . Aboriginal Ownership and Benefits....................................................................................... 5 E . Tolls and Access ..................................................................................................................... 6 F . Alaska ..................................................................................................................................... 7 G . Regulatory Matters................................................................................................................. 7 H . Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 8 I1 . PROJECT OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................. 9 A . Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 9 B . Corridor Selection Considerations ......................................................................................... 9 C . Selection of the Preferred Corridor ...................................................................................... 11 D . Considerations for Detailed Routing.................................................................................... 12 I11 . EARLY PUBLIC NOTIFICATIONAND CONSULTATION ............................................. 14 A . Overview.............................................................................................................................. 14 B . Timelines for the Implementation of EPNC ........................................................................ 15 1. Short Term .................................................................................................................... 15 2 . Long Term .................................................................................................................... 15 C . Selected Comments and Responses ..................................................................................... 16 IV . PROJECT COMPONENTSAND FACILITIES ................................................................... 18 1 A . Description of the Project Components and Facilities......................................................... 18 1 . Components of the NGPP ............................................................................................. 18 (a) GeneralDescription .............................................................................................. 18 ... (b) Permanent Facilities.............................................................................................. 20 (c) Temporary Facilities and Infrastructure Related to Construction......................... 21 (d) Project Capacity Plan and Standards .................................................................... 22 (e) Work Area Configuration ....................................... ;............................................. 23 V . PROJECT LOCATIONAND ACTIVITIES ............................ .............................................. 24 A . Maps ..................................................................................................................................... 24 B . Construction Plan ................................................................................................................. 24 C . Construction Schedule.......................................................................................................... 34 D . Key Activities Schedule....................................................................................................... 34 E . Proposed In-service Dates.................................................................................................... 34 F . Estimates of Material andHuman Requirements ................................................................. 34 1 . Material and Human Requirements .............................................................................. 34 VI . SOCIAL. ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ASSESSMENT ................................................ 35 A . Social and Economic Effects of the Development of the NGPP ......................................... 35 B . Overview of Current Territorial Aboriginal Jurisdictional. Administrativeand Business Interests ..................................................................................................................................... 35 1 . Inuvialuit ....................................................................................................................... 35 2 . Gwich’in........................................................................................................................ 37 3 . sahtu ............................................................................................................................. 37 4 . Deh Cho ........................................................................................................................ 39 5 . Northern Alberta ........................................................................................................... 40 C . Key Socio-economic Issues ................................................................................................. 40 1 . Overview....................................................................................................................... 40 .. 11 2 . Anticipated Benefits of the NGPP ................................................................................ 42 (a) CapacityBuilding ................................................................................................. 42 (b) Direct Employment and Income Effects............................................................... 43 (c) LandSponsor Fees ................................................................................................ 43 (d) Business Opportunities, Partnerships and Spin-offs ............................................ 43 (e) Indirect Effects...................................................................................................... 45 ... (f) InducedDevelopment Activities ........................................................................... 45 (g) Economic Impact on Non-Aboriginal Peoples ..................................................... 45 VI1 . KEY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ..................................................................................... 46 A . Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 46 B . Environmental Features .Physical and Biological Components Likely to be Affected by the NGPP .................................................................................................................................. 46 C . Proposed Project Scope ........................................................................................................ 52 D . Key Issues affecting Design, Constructionand Operation .................................................. 53 1. Beaufort Offshore ......................................................................................................... 53 2. Yukon Coastal Plain ..................................................................................................... 54 3 . Porcupine Plateau .......................................................................................................... 55 4. Victoria and Albert Mountains ..................................................................................... 55 5 . Peel Plateau ................................................................................................................... 56 6 . Mackenzie River Delta ................................................................................................. 57 7. Peel Plain ...................................................................................................................... 58 8 . Anderson Plain .............................................................................................................. 58 9 . Franklin Mountains ....................................................................................................... 59 10. MackenziePlain ........................................................................................................ 60 11. Great Slave Plain ....................................................................................................... 60 12 . Alberta Plat~au.......................................................................................................... 61 iii 13. Fort Nelson Lowland ................................................................................................ 61 14 . Peace River Lowland ...............................................................................................