An application by WesPac Midstream to build a marine jetty to ship liquefied natural gas from Tilbury Island has to undergo revisions.
Located next to the expanded FortisBC’s LNG plant, the project would include a dock and loading platform that would supply local and offshore markets three million metric tonnes of LNG per year over 25 years.
The company says the size of the vessels is consistent with other ships using the Fraser River and that the project will not involve the storage or processing of LNG.
The project is subject to review under the B.C. Environmental Assessment Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
The proponent this October submitted an application to the Environmental Assessment Office for a 30-day evaluation against what’s known as the Application Information Requirements, a necessary step to ensure the application has all the information needed to move forward. Last month, following the evaluation period, the EAO notified the proponent the application does not reflect the requirements.
In a letter to Wespac Midstream, the EAO notes there were several reasons the application was not accepted, including a number of information gaps. However, the department also notes the application evaluation is a just scan of the evaluation and does not constitute an in-depth review to whether or not issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of the EAO.
Such determinations are made during the application review phase of the environmental assessment process.
A spokesperson with the Ministry of Environment noted the proponent will resubmit the application for another evaluation period. Once an application has been accepted, a 180-day application review period will commence, which will include a public comment period.
