The latest scheme to maintain North America’s unquenchable demand for fossil fuels may be coming to BC. The Galveston Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal project, proposed to be sited near Kitimat, has been deemed a reviewable project by BC’s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO).

It is the first proposed LNG terminal project that has applied to the EAO. It joins dozens of LNG terminal proposals around the coast of North America.

LNG is natural gas that has been superchilled to reduce it to 1/600th its original volume. This allows it to be pumped into tanker ships and transported across the oceans.

LNG terminal proposals must be carefully scrutinized, particularly by affected communities.

In the era of heightened security, and growing global instability, the dangers associated with LNG tankers, which are floating bombs, must also be addressed. In Boston harbour each LNG tanker requires a Coast Guard and naval escort as well as a three mile no-go zone around it.

The Galveston proposal is just one of dozens of LNG facilities being proposed across North America. Facing dwindling supplies of crude and natural gas, fossil fuel companies like Shell, Conoco-Phillips and others are attemping to develop increasingly dangerous and polluting carbon-based sources like coal-bed methane and LNG. They seek to extend North America’s reliance on non-renewable energy sources.

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), keeps a comprehensive listing of LNG terminal proposals: link

The Galveston LNG project is proposed to cost $300 million and have capacity for 340 billion cubic feet of gas per day.

From the EAO project website:

IN THE MATTER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT S.B.C. 2002, c.43 (THE ACT) AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE GALVESTON LIQUID NATURAL GAS TERMINAL PROJECT (THE PROJECT) ORDER UNDER SECTION 10(1)(c)x0A WHEREAS:

A. Galveston LNG Inc. (the Proponent) proposes to construct and operate facilities for liquefied natural gas receiving, liquids recovery, offloading, storage, re-gasification and send-out, including an associated docking facility and connecting pipeline, at Emsley Cove, 18 km south of Kitimat, British Columbia (the Project);

B. The Project constitutes a reviewable project pursuant to Parts 4 and 8 of the Reviewable Project Regulations (B.C. Reg. 370/02) as the Projectx0A includes: a) proposed facilities with the capability to store energy that can yield by combustion > 3 PJ of energy; and b) a new natural gas processing plant facility that has the design capacity to process natural gas at a rate of > 5.634 million m3/day;

C. On September 7, 2004, the Executive Director, in accordance with section 4 of the Act, delegated certain statutory and regulatory powers and duties to the undersigned Project Assessment Director; and

D. The undersigned Project Assessment Director considers that the Project may have significant adverse effects, taking into account practical means of preventing or reducing to an acceptable level any potential adverse effects of the Project.

NOW THEREFORE:

Pursuant to section 10(1)(c) of the Act, the undersigned Project Assessment Director orders that:
(i) an environmental assessment certificate is required for the Project; and
(ii) the Proponent may not proceed with the Project without an assessment.
___________________________
John Bones
Project Assessment Director
Environmental Assessment Office
Dated September 14, 2004 at Victoria, British Columbia