Woodfibre LNG Community Committee Formed

The District of Squamish has formed a Community Committee to help staff objectively assess the proposed Woodfibre LNG  project and provide input to both District Council and the project proponents as the proposed project progresses through its review processes.

After  receiving a large number of high-calibre applications from highly-educated, deeply experienced individuals representing a range of backgrounds the result is a formation of balanced committee with representatives from various key local organizations.

“The Committee will ensure staff obtains all relevant information on this proposed project, which will in turn serve Council and our community very well as Council assesses this project.”  says District of Squamish CAO, Corien Speaker.

The committee’s mandate is twofold. It will provide input to staff as the technical advisors who will help inform Council prior to the District’s response during the provincial environmental application review phase of the project. The committee will also provide feedback directly to the project proponents on certain technical matters that could mitigate impacts or enhance the project in the eyes of the community. Such technical matters include decisions that will be made on: water- compared to air-cooling technology, land- compared to water-based plant structures, environmental, safety and community impacts.

The proposed Woodfibre LNG project is currently in the pre-application stage at the provincial Environmental Assessment Office (EAO). The EAO received notice of the proponent’s intent to submit an application in November 2013. The EAO has just announced details for a public open house and invitation to submit comments to the EAO between June 12, 2014 and July 11, 2014. This will be to provide input to the values that the proponent must comment on when they submit the formal Environmental Assessment (EA) application for the project later this year. Once the Province has received and reviewed the EA application, the public and the District will have the opportunity to submit formal comments to the EAO on the application.

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Press Release, June 12, 2014