Latest news with #PRGT
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Pro-gas, anti-oil: B.C.'s NDP has monetary and environmental reasons for backing LNG
VICTORIA — The week ended with encouraging pipeline news from the B.C. government, as opposed to how the week started. The province's environmental assessment office announced approval on Thursday for continued construction of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline, half-owned by the Nisga'a nation which plans a floating LNG export terminal on the coast. 'This is an important step — not just for PRGT, but for the Nisga'a Nation's vision of self-determination and long-term prosperity,' said Eva Clayton, elected president of the Nisga'a Lisims government. 'For too long, Indigenous Nations have watched resource development happen around us, instead of with us.' Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Contrast the NDP greenlighting of the Nisga'a-backed natural gas project with its reaction to the proposal, touted earlier in the week, for a pipeline to transport Alberta oil through B.C. to tidewater at Prince Rupert or Kitimat. 'That idea doesn't make sense to us,' said Energy Minister Adrian Dix, echoing similar comments from Deputy Premier Niki Sharma and Premier David Eby. A natural gas pipeline makes far more sense to the New Democrats because, for starters, the financial returns would be greater for the provincial treasury. B.C. has little oil to develop or export but vast reserves of natural gas. The New Democrats also promote natural gas as a 'transition fuel,' to help wean customers off reliance on oil and coal as energy sources. Plus, as former NDP Premier John Horgan used to say, natural gas pipelines are preferable over the oil variety, because when a line ruptures, natural gas vents into the atmosphere while oil inundates the landscape. The Eby government telegraphed support for the Nisga'a natural gas project in the runup to last month's critical vote on Bills 14 and 15. Most major Indigenous leaders in the province asked the government to hold off passage on the legislation that gave the cabinet sweeping powers to fast-track approval of energy (Bill 14) and infrastructure (Bill 15) projects. But on the day the New Democrats used their legislative majority to push through the bills, the premier's office circulated a letter of endorsement for those laws from Nisga'a president Clayton. The letter was intended to underscore a point made by a senior NDP staffer when asked why the NDP's own Indigenous MLAs were voting for the legislation: 'The Indigenous community is not a monolith.' Still, the news was barely out Thursday regarding environmental approval for the PRGT natural gas project, when opponents announced that the fight was not over. 'A reckless decision that prioritizes profits for foreign billionaires over Indigenous rights, environmental protection and community well-being,' said the news release from the Green party. Which is the kind of rhetoric one might have heard from David Eby in his previous incarnation as an NDP activist. Today, it is more likely to feed the exasperation Eby expressed in the legislature last week when interim Green leader Jeremy Valeriote accused him of failing to consult and cooperate on policy and legislation. 'For Pete's sake, we just issued a report together,' replied Eby, referring to the update from the New Democrats and Greens on their cooperation agreement. 'The executive summary says 'the cooperation and responsible government accord between the B.C. Green caucus and the B.C. New Democrat caucus reflects a shared commitment to working collaboratively on issues that matter to people.'' Valeriote's effort to have it both ways recalls former leader Andrew Weaver, who threatened to 'bring down' the John Horgan NDP government for providing tax and regulatory incentives to secure the LNG Canada project. Horgan enacted the incentives with the support of the then Liberal Opposition. Eby has the votes to proceed without opposition support, as he demonstrated last week on Bills 14 and 15. The 900-kilometre PRGT line runs in part through the territory of the Gitanyow people, whose hereditary chiefs oppose the project. 'This isn't the end of the story,' said Gitanyow Chief Watakhayetsxw, also known as Deborah Good, who took part in a blockade that stopped construction on the line last year. 'We'll continue to fight to protect our territory with all actions needed, in the courts and on the ground.' Also weighing in was Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, who seldom misses an opportunity to blast the NDP government despite the fact his wife, Joan, is an NDP MLA. 'This is not a government that believes in reconciliation, and it could trigger a long, hot summer,' he said in a statement. The Prince Rupert pipeline and the LNG project are both subject to legal challenges. The LNG terminal also needs environmental approval. But it should be recalled that there was also ferocious opposition to the Coastal GasLink pipeline, now serving the LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat. Construction was blocked and, in one instance, sabotaged. The legislature itself was blockaded for a time. Still, the line was completed, the gas is already being delivered to the terminal site, and LNG shipments are imminent. Energy Minister Adrian Dix is planning to visit the project later this month. Perhaps Eby will join him in taking credit for a project that would not have happened without NDP support. vpalmer@
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Prince Rupert gas pipeline cleared to keep environmental permit indefinitely
Prince Rupert gas pipeline cleared to keep environmental permit indefinitely The Prince Rupert gas pipeline project is 'substantially started' and will keep its valid environmental certificate for the life of the pipeline, the BC Environmental Assessment Office has ruled. The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline is jointly owned by the Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG, but other First Nations and environmentalists say the decision favours corporate interests over climate commitments and Indigenous rights. Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, said the decision was not unexpected, but still 'damaging and daunting.' She said the province frequently bends or breaks its own laws and regulations to accommodate PRGT, undermining the integrity of the environmental review process. 'This is absolutely not in the interests of Gitanyow and many other nations who have expressed concern,' Marsden said. 'It's going to be a significant reversal of the climate policy of this government.' The BC government has legislated targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But according to critics, pursuing additional LNG and pipeline projects will undercut any progress made by adding significant new emissions that were not considered in the province's climate plans. Marsden said the government is acting without responsibility, forcing First Nations to fight in court because it doesn't respect consultation, Indigenous rights, UNDRIP or true consent — and the decision was politically and economically driven, not based on policy, law or sound science. 'This government can now do whatever it pleases with no accountability,' Marsden said. 'First Nations are left to fight for these things on the ground and in the courts.' She said the report by the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) — the agency tasked with technical review — was 'very slim,' noting that Gitanyow's own submission was likely twice as long. Janelle Lapointe, senior advisor at the David Suzuki Foundation and member of Stellat'en First Nation, said the approval casts significant doubt on the province's willingness to meet its climate targets, respect Indigenous rights and title, and even follow its own policy on determining whether a project has had a 'substantial start.' The keyword — substantial start — is critical because under BC's Environmental Assessment Act, a project's environmental certificate will expire unless enough real, physical work has been completed on the ground before a set deadline — in this case, November 25, 2024. According to the EAO report , the PRGT pipeline was considered 'substantially started' because the company cleared 42 km of pipeline route, built nine permanent bridges, upgraded or built 47 km of access roads, and set up work areas before the deadline. The company also spent about $584 million on the project since 2013. The concerns related to greenhouse gas emissions and incomplete permits were not part of the decision and was mainly based on the physical work completed on the ground. 'If PRGT was really a good project, it wouldn't need a decade-old permit, quiet approvals, and a government bending the rules to push it through,' Lapointe said. She said since the original environmental assessment certificate was issued in 2014, lands, waterways, and ecology have only become more vulnerable due to continued extraction, corporate greed, and the accelerating effects of climate change. Lapointe said the project will cross hundreds of fish-bearing streams and rivers in a watershed that her community depends on. The government is again refusing to ensure the project won't harm their ecosystems, especially salmon — a key species important to their culture and vital to the local economy, she said. 'The province has failed to address the concerns of the Indigenous nations asserting their rights to protect our territory. It sets a very dangerous precedent,' Lapointe said. She pointed out that newly passed Bill 15 and the PRGT approval highlight a troubling trend — the provincial government is making it easier for corporations to move projects forward, while making it difficult for Indigenous nations to exercise their rights and oppose developments that threaten their territories. 'Are they going to allow outdated permits from 2014 to be treated as more legitimate than the rights of sovereign nations? I am left wondering, why is our province bending over backwards to hand over critical energy infrastructure to American billionaires?' Lapointe said. Christina Smethurst, communications head at Dogwood BC, a Victoria-based non-profit, non-partisan citizen action group, said while the EAO issued the approval, there has been no clear public statement or ownership from elected government officials about the decision, with significant environmental, Indigenous rights and economic implications. 'The BC NDP have abandoned any semblance of caring about climate change,' Smethurst said. 'Where is the government on this? Who of our elected officials will take responsibility for making this decision?' Marsden said Gitanyow is preparing legal and other actions, and the fight to protect their lands will continue. Lapointe said they would follow Gitanyow's lead in the ongoing opposition to the pipeline. Marsden also challenged the narrative that this project would help Canada's energy independence. 'This isn't about getting out from under the thumb of Americans. It's actually about enriching people who are in Trump's inner circle,' Marsden said. Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Pipeline planned to supply LNG project receives green light from B.C. regulator
Article content British Columbia has once again green-lit the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline, reaffirming an approval first issued under the former Christy Clark government for the line that will supply a major new liquefied natural gas export terminal proposed on the province's northern coast. Article content The decision by the head of B.C.'s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) on Thursday means that PRGT's environmental assessment certificate will remain in effect for the life of the project, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for the 12-million-tonne-per-year (Mtpa) Ksi Lisims LNG project. Article content Article content Article content 'This is an important step, not just for PRGT, but for the Nisga'a Nation's vision of self-determination and long-term prosperity,' Eva Clayton, president of Nisga'a Lisims Government, which co-owns PRGT and Ksi Lisims with Houston-based Western LNG LLC, said in a statement. Article content Article content The floating LNG terminal proposed for Pearse Island, north of Prince Rupert, B.C., still awaits key environmental sign-offs from provincial and federal officials, but Thursday's decision confirms that the 750-kilometre pipeline intended to supply feed gas to the liquefaction facility can go ahead. Article content PRGT, which would transport around two billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of natural gas from northeastern B.C. to the West Coast, had initially been granted its certificate in 2014 when TC Energy Corp. advanced the project to supply the Petronas-backed Pacific NorthWest LNG project. Article content Article content But Petroliam Nasional Bhd. — the legal name of Malaysia's state-owned Petronas — cancelled Pacific NorthWest LNG in 2017 amid economic and regulatory headwinds, leaving PRGT to languish until Western LNG and the Nisga'a Nation bought the project in 2024, amending and shortening the proposed route to supply Ksi Lisims LNG. Article content Article content The long delay put the pipeline at risk of losing its environmental certificate since, under provincial rules, each certificate comes with a deadline by which a project must be substantially started and PRGT's was contingent upon a November 2024 start date. Article content But in his decision released Thursday, Alex MacLennan, head of the EAO, pointed to the clearing of 42 kilometres of the pipeline's right-of-way and the construction of permanent features identified in the project's plans, including nine bridges, 47 kilometres of roads and a lodge.
National Observer
4 days ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Prince Rupert gas pipeline cleared to keep environmental permit indefinitely
The Prince Rupert gas pipeline project is 'substantially started' and will keep its valid environmental certificate for the life of the pipeline, the BC Environmental Assessment Office has ruled. The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline is jointly owned by the Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG, but other First Nations and environmentalists say the decision favours corporate interests over climate commitments and Indigenous rights. Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, said the decision was not unexpected, but still 'damaging and daunting.' She said the province frequently bends or breaks its own laws and regulations to accommodate PRGT, undermining the integrity of the environmental review process. 'This is absolutely not in the interests of Gitanyow and many other nations who have expressed concern,' Marsden said. 'It's going to be a significant reversal of the climate policy of this government." The BC government has legislated targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But according to critics, pursuing additional LNG and pipeline projects will undercut any progress made by adding significant new emissions that were not considered in the province's climate plans. Marsden said the government is acting without responsibility, forcing First Nations to fight in court because it doesn't respect consultation, Indigenous rights, UNDRIP or true consent — and the decision was politically and economically driven, not based on policy, law or sound science. 'This is absolutely not in the interests of Gitanyow and many other nations who have expressed concern,' Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs. 'It's going to be a significant reversal of the climate policy." 'This government can now do whatever it pleases with no accountability,' Marsden said. 'First Nations are left to fight for these things on the ground and in the courts.' She said the report by the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) — the agency tasked with technical review — was 'very slim,' noting that Gitanyow's own submission was likely twice as long. Janelle Lapointe, senior advisor at the David Suzuki Foundation and member of Stellat'en First Nation, said the approval casts significant doubt on the province's willingness to meet its climate targets, respect Indigenous rights and title, and even follow its own policy on determining whether a project has had a 'substantial start.' The keyword — substantial start — is critical because under BC's Environmental Assessment Act, a project's environmental certificate will expire unless enough real, physical work has been completed on the ground before a set deadline — in this case, November 25, 2024. According to the EAO report, the PRGT pipeline was considered 'substantially started' because the company cleared 42 km of pipeline route, built nine permanent bridges, upgraded or built 47 km of access roads, and set up work areas before the deadline. The company also spent about $584 million on the project since 2013. The concerns related to greenhouse gas emissions and incomplete permits were not part of the decision and was mainly based on the physical work completed on the ground. 'If PRGT was really a good project, it wouldn't need a decade-old permit, quiet approvals, and a government bending the rules to push it through,' Lapointe said. She said since the original environmental assessment certificate was issued in 2014, lands, waterways, and ecology have only become more vulnerable due to continued extraction, corporate greed, and the accelerating effects of climate change. Lapointe said the project will cross hundreds of fish-bearing streams and rivers in a watershed that her community depends on. The government is again refusing to ensure the project won't harm their ecosystems, especially salmon — a key species important to their culture and vital to the local economy, she said. 'The province has failed to address the concerns of the Indigenous nations asserting their rights to protect our territory. It sets a very dangerous precedent,' Lapointe said. She pointed out that newly passed Bill 15 and the PRGT approval highlight a troubling trend — the provincial government is making it easier for corporations to move projects forward, while making it difficult for Indigenous nations to exercise their rights and oppose developments that threaten their territories. 'Are they going to allow outdated permits from 2014 to be treated as more legitimate than the rights of sovereign nations? I am left wondering, why is our province bending over backwards to hand over critical energy infrastructure to American billionaires?' Lapointe said. Christina Smethurst, communications head at Dogwood BC, a Victoria-based non-profit, non-partisan citizen action group, said while the EAO issued the approval, there has been no clear public statement or ownership from elected government officials about the decision, with significant environmental, Indigenous rights and economic implications. "The BC NDP have abandoned any semblance of caring about climate change,' Smethurst said. "Where is the government on this? Who of our elected officials will take responsibility for making this decision?' Marsden said Gitanyow is preparing legal and other actions, and the fight to protect their lands will continue. Lapointe said they would follow Gitanyow's lead in the ongoing opposition to the pipeline. Marsden also challenged the narrative that this project would help Canada's energy independence. 'This isn't about getting out from under the thumb of Americans. It's actually about enriching people who are in Trump's inner circle,' Marsden said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Canadian regulator says Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline project has started
(Reuters) -British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Office has determined that work on the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission natural gas pipeline project has been substantially started, the provincial government said on Thursday. The decision means a 2014 environmental assessment certificate for the project will remain in effect indefinitely, unless suspended or cancelled under the Environmental Assessment Act, the B.C. government said in a press release. The 900-kilometre PRGT project will run from Hudson's Hope in northeastern B.C. to Lelu Island near Prince Rupert on Canada's Pacific Coast. It was acquired from TC Energy by the Nisga'a First Nation and the Western LNG in March 2024 to supply natural gas to the proposed 12 million tonneS per annum Ksi Lisims liquefied natural facility. The 2014 environmental assessment certificate required that the project show substantial progress by November 25, 2024. The B.C. Environmental Assessment Office launched a review process late last year to examine whether work had started, considering site inspections, documentation from PRGT and input from local First Nations. The government statement said compliance and enforcement officers will continue to monitor the PRGT project throughout construction and operation to ensure it meets all environmental requirements. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
