What conditions for LNG in BC?
The under-new-management government of BC is working towards an official position on LNG development in the province.
We expect to see it soon, and to learn the operative details of the four conditions the NDP government has set for further LNG development:
- Proposals must include express guarantees of jobs and training opportunities for British Columbians;
- Proposals must provide a fair return for our resource;
- Proposals must respect and make partners of First Nations; and
- Proposals must protect our air, land and water, including living up to our climate commitments
Our case to the government is that responsible LNG development can bring vital benefits to First Nations, and their people and communities.
We also hope for a meeting at some point with BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver, especially following this quote attributed to him by DeSmog Canada:
Dr. Weaver’s position may seem to be carefully conditional, leaving the door open for his OK if he approves of the NDP’s coming position on LNG.
But we are naturally concerned, and hope to learn directly from him what he has in mind—and what conditions.
Help from eco-activists? Be wary
That’s the message of our latest blog on our website, which looks at what can happen when anti-development and eco-activist groups recruit or claim First Nations people as supporters.
If you’re approached by an outside eco-group offering “support”, what’s their real agenda? Read the blog.
In an earlier blog, we noted that First Nations communities in BC and Canada were stewards of the environment long before there was a Canada or a BC, and we continue to have that responsibility. So LNG and natural-gas development must respect the environment and First Nations rights.
Do watch our Facebook and Twitter channels for word on when the next blog is posted.
LNG via electrical drives
Steelhead LNG is the latest project to announce that it has chosen electric drives for its BC operations, rather than burning some of the incoming natural gas to generate the electricity. Electric drives for compression cut down emissions by as much as 80%. Here’s a video interview with Steelhead’s Paul Sullivan.
Woodfibre LNG was the first to announce that its liquefaction project will run off electric power. The decision was guided by the input and feedback from community consultation.
Woodfibre LNG also listened to the Squamish First Nation when it came to selecting cooling systems for its Howe Sound plant. The result: Woodfibre accepted the Nation’s call for air cooling, rather than seawater cooling or air cooling with freshwater spray.
Also in the news
- Wave of world LNG projects set to begin; ‘glut’ seen ending in 2024
- ‘What glut?’ asks analyst, predicting LNG use will almost double by 2030
- China on track to pass Japan as the No. 1 LNG importer this year
- Australia set to become world’s biggest exporter of natural gas by 2019
