The public can soon let the Environmental Assessment Office know what it thinks about two controversial and interconnected proposed energy projects in Squamish.
Both FortisBC and Woodfibre LNG applications to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) for Environmental Assessment certificates were accepted early this week, starting the clock ticking on a 180-day review process.
Tuesday afternoon, FortisBC announced the company’s application for environmental certification for the Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project had been accepted Jan. 12.
The natural gas pipeline expansion would be required to feed the proposed Woodfibre LNG liquefied natural gas processing and export plant, planned for a site on Howe Sound seven kilometres southwest of Squamish, should the plant be built.
The FortisBC project now enters the six-month review process by the EAO, which includes a 45-day public comment period. The comment period runs from Jan. 26 through to March 12.
“Now this is where we get to go to the public and they have full access to all the information and we can have a very robust discussion,” said FortisBC spokesman Trevor Boudreau. “This is an EAO process that we participate in… this is a chance for [the public] to tell the EAO here’s exactly what they think of the Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project.”
Woodfibre LNG also announced Tuesday that its Environmental Assessment Certificate application had been accepted by the EAO. On Dec. 29, the Environmental Assessment Office had outlined conditions that Woodfibre LNG had to meet prior to full acceptance.
“A lot of the work is done before this stage,” said Byng Giraud, Woodfibre LNG’s vice-president of corporate affairs.
The acceptance of the applications is significant for the projects because it means the companies have completed the EAO’s pre-application requirements. That process has been going on for more than a year for both companies. Now the application moves into formal review by the EAO.
The EAO comment period for Woodfibre LNG will run from Jan. 22, to March 9.
At the end of the review there will be a decision on the granting of the environmental certificates made by two provincial ministers.
“Hopefully the result will be positive because it isn’t always positive in British Columbia,” said Giraud. “But generally what does happen is we will be given a lot of conditions, and it will be the intensity of those conditions and the requirements associated with those conditions that factor into the things we have to do and the decisions we make.”
In addition to this approval, the projects must also seek approval from other regulatory authorities such as the BC Oil and Gas Commission.
How to comment
The public can comment to the EAO on either project by:
Email: [email protected]
Mail: 2nd Floor, 836 Yates Street, PO Box 9426, Stn Prov. Govt., Victoria, B.C., V8W 9V1
Online: www.eao.gov.bc.ca
An open house for the Woodfibre LNG project will be held Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the CN Roundhouse & Convention Centre 39645 Government Rd.
The EAO will host a public open house on the FortisBC pipeline Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Sea to Sky Hotel, 40330 Tantalus Way.
To view both company’s applications go to eao.gov.bc.ca.
