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The NEB did not say when full construction would begin on the 590,000 barrels per day pipeline project to twin an existing line between Alberta and metro Vancouver.

Construction was halted in late August 2018 after the Appeals Court ruled that Ottawa hadn’t properly consulted with affected First Nations along the route or studied the impact of the project on marine wildlife.

Since that time, Ottawa has undertaken an additional study of the impact of the expanded pipeline and tanker traffic on marine wildlife and undertook additional consultations with affected First Nations. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the re-approval of the project last month.

Trans Mountain, the federal Crown corporation working to build on the West Coast-bound pipeline, didn’t have an updated schedule on Friday afternoon. “We are reviewing the details (of the NEB release) and will have more information to share regarding the processes and construction schedule in the coming weeks,” the company said in a release.

Still, the announcement from the NEB is a major win for Trans Mountain. The company specifically asked on June 18 for all previous orders to be re-instated and for the project to “be brought back to the same state of construction readiness that it was prior to the Federal Court of Appeal decision.”

We need this pipeline developed and we need construction to start in a timely fashion Explorers and Producers Association of Canada president Tristan Goodman

Industry officials said the NEB announcement is an important milestone for the project.

“I think this is a positive step moving in the direction of getting an incredibly important piece of infrastructure for this entire nation built,” Explorers and Producers Association of Canada president Tristan Goodman said in an interview.