Today we released Specified Enactment Direction 004: Pipeline Conservation and Reclamation Approvals Under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, which contains application requirements for AER-regulated pipelines requiring approval under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) and postconstruction reclamation assessment reporting requirements for EPEA-approved pipelines.
Under Schedule 1, Division 3(c), of the Activities Designation Regulation, pipelines in the White Area with an index number (calculated by multiplying the outside diameter of the pipe in millimetres by the length of the line in kilometres) of 2690 or greater require an EPEA approval prior to construction. The regulation also lists the exemptions where an EPEA approval is not required. SED 004 also includes examples of common pipeline scenarios and guidance regarding when an EPEA approval is required.
SED 004 replaces the Information Requirements for Regulated Pipelines and Guide for Pipelines Pursuant to the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and Regulations for AER-regulated pipelines. Effective today, all new applications for the approval of construction and reclamation of a pipeline under EPEA must meet the requirements set out in SED 004. Any applications submitted prior to July 24, 2025, will be reviewed using the previous requirements and do not need to be resubmitted.
A draft version of SED 004 was released on June 10, 2024, on which public feedback was accepted until July 10, 2024 (see Bulletin 2024-13). A summary of the feedback we received and our responses are available alongside the SED.
SED 004 is available on our website at aer.ca. If you have any questions, contact our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 1-855-297-8311 or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.
