Woodfibre LNG has announced that its application to amend its Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) for the construction and operation of the Woodfibre LNG Project (Project) has been approved.
The EAC was originally granted on October 26, 2015. Woodfibre LNG Limited applied to amend its EAC in early 2017 to address proposed design changes to the Woodfibre LNG Project.
The proposed design changes were the result of the Squamish Nation selection of air cooling as the cooling technology for the Project as well as ongoing front-end engineering design (FEED) work.
– The design changes include:
• Changing from seawater cooling to air cooling of the plant;
• Upgrading an existing intake on Mill Creek rather than constructing a new intake; and,
• Short-term use of water from Woodfibre Creek during construction.
The design changes required an amendment to the EAC under British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Act.
“The amendment approval means Woodfibre LNG can implement the design changes that are a direct result of the Squamish Nation process, and ongoing FEED work,” said Byng Giraud, Country Manager & Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Woodfibre LNG Limited.
“We also see the approval as further acknowledgement that Woodfibre LNG is setting the standard for incorporating First Nations and community priorities into the design and operation of an industrial project in British Columbia.”
– About Squamish Nation Process
The Squamish Nation conducted an independent review of the Woodfibre LNG Project under its own environmental assessment process. On October 14, 2015, Squamish Nation issued an Environmental Certificate for the Project that included conditions to be met by Woodfibre LNG. One of the conditions was that the Squamish Nation would evaluate and choose the cooling technology that is acceptable to Squamish Nation. In a letter dated October 19, 2016, Squamish Nation informed Woodfibre LNG that members chose air cooling as the technology to be used for the Project