Monday, December 1, 2014

Woodside LNG proposal for Grassy Point goes to Environmental Assessment phase

A proposed LNG project for the Grassy Point area north of Prince Rupert has been moved forward in its application process, with notice of the Environment Assessment phase for the Woodside Grassy Point project.

The Australian Energy company has proposed an onshore facility to be located near Lax Kw'alaams, one of the many LNG projects that have been outlined for potential development on the North Coast in the last year.

The Environmental Assessment notice was issued last week, with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency allowing for a substitution of the BC Environmental Assessment process for this proposal.

With the British Columbia process to commit to meet a number of conditions as outlined by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

You can read the full outline of those conditions here.

Further to that substitution, Leona Aglukkaq, the Federal Minister of Environment outlined a number of additional conditions for the project, which include:

B.C. will involve expert federal authorities in the B.C. process. B.C. will provide an opportunity to the relevant United States agencies to participate in the B.C. process. 

B.C. will provide the Environmental Assessment Report to the Agency within a time frame that will enable the Minister to make decisions under subsection 52(1) of CEAA 2012 within the time limits set out in CEAA 2012. 

B.C. will conduct procedural aspects of Aboriginal consultation in accordance with the process set out in the Memorandum of Understanding. 

B.C. will make available to Aboriginal groups funding provided by the Agency to support Aboriginal consultation during the substituted environmental assessment.

The Environmental Order regarding that Environmental Assessment was issued on November 28th.

For more background on the Woodside proposal see the Project Information page here from the Province of British Columbia Project Information Centre.

More information on the proposed Grassy Point project can be found on our archive page.

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