Petronas-led Pacific NorthWest LNG project proposed for Lelu Island in the District of Port Edward, British Columbia, has come across opposition from environmentalists recently.
More than 90 “climate experts” signed an open letter to Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau and environment minister Catherine McKenna voicing concerns over “adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions increase”.
The letter signatories claim the Pacific NorthWest LNG project would be one of the “largest point source emitters of greenhouse gases in Canada”.
Danny Harvey, a Canadian climate scientist said, “The environmental assessment that would form the basis for a decision concerning this LNG project is incomplete and superficial. For this reason alone the proposal should be rejected outright.”
Additionally, the letter claims there are more reasons for rejecting the project, such as a lack of adequate climate policy to reduce impacts for the project. The letter also questions the claims made by the project supporters that LNG will replace coal in Asia.
The letter comes on the heels of the BC’s Climate Leadership Team critique of the provincial government’s lack of climate action, while the federal Environment Minister recently asked the BC government for details on their climate change plan and for more information on how the province’s LNG plans would not interfere with national climate action targets.
The Federal government is set to make the final decision on the proposal within the next 90 days. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna indicated a possible federal cabinet decision by the end of June, according to the letter.
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 the 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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