Environment Minister Mary Polak and Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman have issued Environmental Assessment Certificates (EACs) for three liquefied natural gas projects in northern British Columbia – the Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission pipeline, the Pacific NorthWest LNG export facility in Prince Rupert and the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline.
The decisions were made after considering reviews led by B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office. There are conditions included in each of the EACs and design restrictions are specified in the Certified Project Descriptions (CPDs). The conditions and the CPDs are legally-binding requirements the companies must meet to be in compliance with their certificates.
To prevent or minimize adverse effects from the projects, each company proposed a number of significant route or design changes during the environmental assessment, based on feedback received during the process.
Each project will require various federal, provincial and local government permits to proceed. The Pacific NorthWest LNG export facility is also the subject of a federal environmental assessment.
The majority of provincial permits are provided through the BC Oil & Gas Commission, the primary operational regulator of oil and gas activities in BC. The Environmental Assessment Office will co-ordinate compliance management efforts with other government agencies to ensure the office is satisfied that certificate conditions are met.
The Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission pipeline involves the construction and operation of up to two 860-kilometre natural gas pipelines from the Cypress Area in northeast B.C. (100 km northwest of Fort St. John) to a new LNG terminal being proposed at Ridley Island near Prince Rupert. The estimated capital cost is $7.5 billion.
Construction would generate 13,400 person-years of direct employment in B.C. During the 50 years of operations, 120 full-time jobs would be created.
The Pacific NorthWest LNG export facility involves the construction and operation of an LNG export facility located on Lelu Island and adjacent water lots in the Port of Prince Rupert. The estimated capital cost is $11.4 billion.
Construction would generate 8,000 person-years of direct employment in B.C. During the 30 years of operations, 650 full-time jobs would be created.
The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline involves the construction and operation of a 900-km natural gas pipeline from near the District of Hudson’s Hope in north eastern B.C. to the Pacific NorthWest LNG export facility. The estimated capital cost is $5 billion.
Construction would generate 8,250 person-years of direct employment in B.C. During the 40 years of operations, 23 full-time jobs would be created.
More information on the environmental assessments of the three projects can be found on the Environmental Assessment Office website at www.eao.gov.bc.ca/LNG_Certificates.html.
