Project Background
Ksi Lisims LNG (https://www.ksilisimslng.com/ ) is a partnership among the Nisga’a Lisims Government, Rockies LNG, and Western LNG. They propose to build a floating LNG export facility on the northern tip of Pearse Island in Portland Canal (see maps 1 and 2 attached). The facility would produce 12 million tons per year of LNG, and operations are anticipated to last a minimum of 30 years.
At that volume, annual shipping traffic would be approximately 140-160 ships or 280-320 transits. For comparison, that is about 15% smaller than phase 1 of the LNG Canada project. Two pipelines are being considered to supply gas to the facility: TC Energy’s Prince Rupert Gas Transmission or Enbridge’s West Coast Connector Gas Transmission. Neither pipeline has been built, but they both have Environmental Assessment Certificates. Facility commission is planned for 2027.
Ksi Lisims LNG Environmental Assessment Update
On October 16, 2023, the Ksi Lisims LNG Project submitted its Environmental Assessment (EA) Application to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) of British Columbia, leading to the commencement of the Application Review phase of the project’s EA. During the Application Review Phase, Ksi Lisims LNG’s EA application will be assessed by the EAO, Gitga’at, other First Nations, and other Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) members to determine if the application provides enough information to develop a comprehensive understanding of the project’s positive and negative environmental, social and economic effects.
This phase will last 180 days and will be followed by the Effects Assessment phase, which is when will be when effects of the project will be considered by the EAO and participating First Nations.
Public Comment Period
As part of the Application Review, the EAO will be holding three public open houses, which will provide information on the Ksi Lisims LNG project.
The first session will be held in Prince Rupert from 6pm-8pm on Tuesday, November 7th at the Moose Hall Lodge. The second session will be held in Terrace on Wednesday, November 8th from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the Terrace Sportsplex while the final session will be held virtually on Tuesday, November 14th from 12pm-2pm.
Members of the public also have the possibility of providing comments on Ksi Lisims LNG’s Application until December 1st through the EAO’s EPIC website at https://projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/p/60edc23bc69c5e0023a12539/documents.
GOLD’s Work Conducted to Date
The Gitga’at Oceans and Lands Department (GOLD) has a mandate from elected and hereditary leadership to participate in regulatory process on behalf of Gitga’at First Nation. As such, GOLD has been participating in the Ksi Lisims LNG project’s regulatory process since 2022. To date, GOLD has participated in the following ways:
Held bi-weekly meetings with the EAO and acted as Gitga’at’s representative on the EA TAC
Engaged directly with Ksi Lisims LNG’s technical staff through regular bi-lateral meetings and discussion sessions
Reviewed and provided feedback to the EAO and Ksi Lisims LNG on various EA documents such as the Process Order and draft chapters of the EA application
Commissioned a Gitga’at Traditional Use and Occupancy Study for the project site and surrounding lands and waters
Provided updates to and sought direction from Gitga’at elected and hereditary leadership
Next Steps for GOLD’s Engagement in the EA
GOLD is expected to continue to participate in the Ksi Lisims LNG regulatory process through the following processes:
Continue to meet bi-weekly with the EAO and participate in the EA TAC
Review the EA Application and provide feedback to the EAO and Ksi Lisims
Prepare the “Assessment of Effects on Gitga’at First Nation and Its Rights and Interests”, which will be a chapter of the Assessment Report that will be provided to provincial, federal and Indigenous Nations’ decision makers after the Effects Assessment phase
Work with the EAO and Ksi Lisims LNG to identify potential mitigation measures for the projects’ effects on Gitga’at
Work with the EAO, Gitga’at leadership and other regulators to develop recommendations regarding the approval of the EA certificate and potential EA certificate conditions
Questions?
Gitga’at community members with questions regarding the Ksi Lisims LNG EA can contact GOLD through Nicole Robinson by email at nicolerobinson@gitgaat.ca or by phone at 778-884-6785.
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