The following examples illustrate how we demonstrated accountability and responsiveness to our stakeholders through the initiatives in our Major Projects and Regional Engagement Plans.
NEXUS Gas Transmission: During project planning on our NEXUS Gas Transmission pipeline, we considered many alternatives and variations to the route as originally planned. In total, NEXUS adopted 239 route changes totaling about 231 miles (372 kilometers), which represents 91 percent of the pipeline route. We made these changes for a variety of reasons, including landowner requests, avoidance of sensitive resources or engineering considerations.
We received feedback through more than 20 public landowner information and open-house meetings, as well as thousands of public comments on the draft environmental assessment. The project team reviewed the feedback and developed a route that balanced landowner, environmental and engineering considerations.
Through proactive outreach early in the lifecycle of the NEXUS Gas Transmission pipeline project, the project team implemented a stakeholder outreach plan that was responsive to landowners and community members. For example, through more than 20 public meetings, the project team identified the importance of drain-tile systems to local farmers in Ohio and Michigan. In fact, more than 200 miles of the project—or approximately 60 percent of the project’s total tracts—required work to existing drain-tile systems. Drainage systems are unique to each individual piece of land and play an integral part in a farm’s productivity. Understanding that even the slightest disturbance to these systems could have a significant impact on agricultural operations, NEXUS worked with local farmers to select preferred drain-tile experts in the community. Through the collaborative process, NEXUS was able to implement a mutually beneficial solution that enabled landowners to use familiar, local experts for all pre- and post-construction drain-tile work. NEXUS also committed to extended monitoring to ensure that drain-tile systems continue to function properly.
As part of our L3RP, we conducted tours for local dignitaries and Indigenous leaders to showcase our rigorous construction process. “The tours are a great opportunity to showcase what we do and the pride we take in a job well done,” says Joel McKim, a Senior Construction Specialist in Enbridge’s Major Projects unit. “The detailed nature of the work is a real eye-opener for those who haven’t witnessed it firsthand.”
Enbridge strives to be a good neighbor in the communities where we operate, and that includes actively engaging with and listening to our right-of-way landowners.
In 2017, the Sabal Trail Transmission Project was named Construction Project of the Year by S&P Global Platts. This international award recognizes excellence in project execution and management.
Judges remarked on Sabal Trail Transmission's “resilience and long-term commitment” to the project. The company completed more than three years of community and political engagement, routing considerations and permit proceedings before beginning construction in August 2016, according to S&P Global Platts.
Award judges also noted the project's "large financial impact on the local economy" in the communities along the pipeline route.
During peak construction, the project employed more than 6,000 workers. Sabal Trail is estimated to provide permanent economic impacts of $22 million in annual wages and $74 million in total economic output. Approved expansions of Sabal Trail will add 270 million cubic feet per day of capacity by 2021, supporting regional growth and conversions from fuel oil and coal.
Union Gas provides grants to fire departments for educational materials and lifesaving smoke and carbon monoxide alarms:
In 2017, Union Gas continued to support public education delivered by fire departments so customers can acquire fire-safety knowledge that helps protect their families and communities. For example, Union Gas provided funding that allowed fire departments to buy education materials that teach children about fire safety and burn prevention. Union Gas's dedication to fire departments also includes helping ensure that community members have lifesaving early-detection smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Union Gas donated about $30,000 to 20 fire departments in 2017, and strongly believes that working with fire departments helps keep our communities informed and safe.
Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Enbridge. Launched in 2002 in the United States and in 2009 in Canada, our Safe Community Program has helped support everything from new firehoses and professional training and educational programs, to “jaws of life” extrication tools for fire departments and automated external defibrillators. Through the program, we have even provided major financial support to air ambulance services.
To date, we have invested more than $12 million in first responder organizations near our pipelines and facilities through our Safe Community Program. Some recent examples:
You can learn more about our Safe Community Program here.
To learn about Enbridge’s partnerships with communities and organizations in relation to water/biodiversity, please see the Environmental Management Systems section of this report.
In recent years, Alexander City in Tallapoosa County, Alabama has struggled with the same economic challenges as many other small towns and cities in the U.S. When a major industry that employed nearly 7,500 people moved out of the area, the Chamber of Commerce and city government needed something substantial to keep community members and their businesses from moving to larger nearby cities. Sabal Trail Transmission’s interstate natural gas pipeline* originates in Tallapoosa County, and during the early stages of the pipeline’s design and development, Sabal Trail staff became aware of the Chamber’s and city’s efforts to develop a business incubation and innovation center, which would encourage organic business growth and provide a location for the Chamber to showcase the economic-development potential and opportunities of the Alexander City area.
As a result, Sabal Trail donated almost $165,000 for the development of the Lake Martin Innovation Center in Alexander City, a model of community enterprise and corporate partnership. The center features more than 17,000 square feet of productive work space, including offices, meeting rooms, high-speed internet and video conferencing facilities. The center immediately acquired tenants that would otherwise have moved away from Alexander City. In less than a year, the center had hosted seven full-time tenants and more than 20 co-working members. New businesses within the facility have created more than 40 new jobs, and the Chamber of Commerce and their members have hosted more than 130 events, meetings and workshops in the building.
“The financial support of Sabal Trail made the Innovation Center a reality,” said Ed Collari, President and CEO of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. “Sabal Trail has proven that they are committed to our community and its long-term growth and development.” Since placing Sabal Trail’s Alexander City Compressor Station in service in June 2017, the town is now home to five full-time Enbridge employees.
* Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC (Sabal Trail) is a joint venture of Spectra Energy Partners, an Enbridge company; NextEra Energy, Inc.; and Duke Energy. Sabal Trail’s 515-mile (829-kilometer) pipeline, which entered service in 2017, is transporting natural gas for power generation to Florida Power and Light and Duke Energy of Florida.
As part of its commitment to supporting communities where we work and operate, NEXUS Gas Transmission, a 257-mile (414-kilometer) natural gas transmission pipeline project in Ohio and Michigan, awarded a total of $250,000 in education and workforce development grants to five community colleges. For example, NEXUS partnered with Eastern Michigan University to provide a $50,000 grant to purchase much needed construction safety training equipment. The NEXUS project team believes in supporting educational programs that can lead to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and other energy infrastructure careers, or programs that will aid in growing community vitality.
Since 2007, Enbridge has contributed over $100,000 to the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation in British Columbia in support of the acquisition of critical and substantial pieces of medical equipment. The Foundation works closely with the hospital authorities to identify and prioritize the needs of the Fort St. John Hospital and Peace Villa Residential Care Facility to ensure that the Fort St. John community has access to the best medical care possible.
Supporting Grace House in Minnesota