The Vancouver Sun discusses the British Columbia (B.C.) government's decision to allow the construction of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline without requiring a new environmental assessment.
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The environmental assessment certificate for the project is from 2014 and is considered valid because the government believes the project has been "substantially started" within the required 10-year period. The original intent of the pipeline was to transport natural gas to a facility on Lelu Island, but the project has since been repurposed to serve the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG plant on Pearse Island, north of Prince Rupert.
The pipeline is significant because it is backed by the Nisga'a Nation and Texas-based Western LNG. The project has faced opposition from environmental groups and the B.C. Green Party, which argues that the outdated environmental assessment does not account for the new terminal location and potential impacts on salmon habitats and Indigenous rights. The opposition also points out the involvement of U.S. private equity firm Blackstone and U.S. engineering company Bechtel, which they claim have ties to fossil fuel interests.
The B.C. government's decision has been met with criticism, particularly regarding the environmental and Indigenous concerns. The Lax Kw'alaams First Nation and Ts'msyen hereditary chiefs oppose the project, claiming jurisdiction over Pearse Island, and Gitanyow hereditary chiefs have also raised concerns about the Nass River salmon.
The environmental group Stand.earth has called the decision a setback for the province's climate plan, as it comes after the release of a report showing that B.C. is likely to miss its climate targets. Despite this, the pipeline proponents, including the Nisga'a Nation, see the ruling as a significant step forward for Indigenous-led energy infrastructure and their economic future.