One Richmond MLA is “disappointed” that provincial approval has been given to a marine jetty for the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta.
Richmond-Steveston MLA Kelly Greene put out a statement on March 28, the day after the decision was announced, saying that this wasn’t the “outcome that any of us wanted.”
“Like so many in our community, I am disappointed by this decision. I’ve heard from many concerned residents about the potential impacts in Steveston, and I’ve worked hard to ensure those concerns are heard and considered,” she said in her statement.
While she notes that the final approval needs to come from the federal government, the provincial conditions on the project should address many environmental concerns.
“Some of those concerns may be mitigated by the conditions imposed on the project, including independent environmental monitoring, environmental management plans during construction and operation, and regular public disclosure of information, while other concerns may be addressed in federal conditions, not yet approved,” Greene, a BC NDP MLA, said in her statement.
Recommendations made by the province, 181 in total, include procedures to prevent potential accidents, safety training, coordinated emergency response plans and more, she added.
The B.C. government announced on Wednesday that an environmental assessment certificate had been issued for the Tilbury Marine Jetty Project on Tilbury Island in Delta.
The Tilbury marine jetty project consists of building a jetty, or dock, on the south arm of the Fraser River adjacent to FortisBC’s existing Tilbury LNG facility.
Once constructed, it will be the first facility on Canada’s west coast that will enable trans-oceanic vessels to fuel with liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the Port of Vancouver.
George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, and Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, made the decision after “carefully considering the environmental assessment of the proposal conducted by B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO),” according to a provincial news release.
Still requiring federal approvals and provincial permits and authorizations before construction can start, the proposed LNG fuelling jetty will be used to fill carrier ships exporting LNG and bunkering vessels that then refuel ships in other locations.
The project will be supplied from the existing adjacent FortisBC Tilbury LNG plant.
The jetty project is not dependent on the adjacent proposed FortisBC Tilbury expansion, the province noted.
- With files from the Delta Optimist
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