The Port of Prince Rupert instructed protesters that set-up camp on the proposed Pacific NorthWest LNG plant site on Lelu Island to stop unauthorized occupation and construction activities in the area.
In its statement on Monday, the port authority said it has “permitted neither occupation nor construction by the individuals who have used the lands as a base for protest.”
A report by the Globe and Mail shows that protesters constructed a two-storey building during last fall and added a cabin during this spring.
“We respect the right of any individual or group to express their opinions concerning port development if it is done in a safe and peaceful manner,” said Don Krusel, President & CEO of the Port of Prince Rupert . “However, raising makeshift structures does not meet that definition and has not been authorized.”
The divide between the First Nation members has been evident recently. In January, a Lelu Island Declaration opposing the development of the multi-billion dollars Petronas-led LNG project near Prince Rupert, has been signed by First Nations leaders, local residents and federal and provincial politicians.
Lelu Island and Flora Bank, critical habitat for wild salmon at the mouth of the Skeena River, have been declared off limits for industrial development under the signed declaration.
However, a letter sent to the Canadian minister of environment and climate change by, Lax Kw’alaams major, John Helin in March, revealed the First Nation is ready to extend its support for the project under the conditions that the PNG LNG project’s development does not harm the environment.
In regards to the group of protesters encamped on Lelu Island, port authority added that it reserves “the right to require that the existing structures be dismantled and all contents be removed from the island.”
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has currently put the project’s environmental review on hold for a period of up to three months, seeking time to review new information received from the project. The EAA expects to make its decision during the year.
The proposed facility will comprise an initial development of two LNG trains of approximately 6 million tons per annum each, and a subsequent development of a third train of approximately 6 mtpa.
Petronas, Sinopec, JAPEX, Indian Oil Corporation and PetroleumBRUNEI are all shareholders in Pacific NorthWest LNG and the associated natural gas supply.
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LNG World News Staff