The contentious FortisBC pipeline will once again be a topic of discussion at District of Squamish council Tuesday night, when a request to submit a development permit application will go before council.
“Staff are just going to council for authorization to accept the revised application,” said Trevor Boudreau, spokesperson for FortisBC.
“Until then we don't have an application in play.”
The application is for a development permit to allow the company to drill two test boreholes in the Squamish Estuary, and for geophysical works within the Wildlife Management Area, according to the motion to go before council.
The boreholes would be in the Squamish River Dike.
According to FortisBC, the testing is needed to assess the feasibility of a route option for the proposed Eagle Mountain–Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project, a natural gas pipeline that would feed the proposed Woodfibre LNG export facility slated for southwest of Squamish in 2017.
FortisBC was commissioned by Woodfibre LNG to potentially deliver the natural gas and therefore FortisBC is obligated to plan for the delivery of that gas, even though neither the export facility or the pipeline expansion has been officially approved, according to Boudreau.
On January 20 the council turned down granting FortisBC a development permit for or five test holes on both sides of the Squamish River, in addition to geophysical testing.
The current application is for work that will have less impact than the original application, according to the motion.
FortisBC took the district of Squamish council to BC Supreme Court on March 10 for a review of council’s January decision.
A provincial decision on the proposed Woodfibre LNG plant and the pipeline expansion is expected by late summer or early fall.
The Squamish council meeting will get underway at 6 p.m. Tuesday night (April 7) at municipal hall.
