Kitimat | Northwest Coast Energy News

Joint Review releases first round schedule, Gateway ruling put off for a year

Energy Hearings

The Northern Gateway Joint Review Panel has released its schedule for first round hearings for the Northern Gateway Pipeline.

The panel will visit most of the towns along the pipeline route and the coast. One surprise is that the bulk of the northwestern hearings will be held in Prince Rupert, not Kitimat as expected. Kitimat, where the pipeline will reach the sea and where the terminal will be gets just two days of hearings. There will be eight days of formal hearings in Prince Rupert. While this may be a logistical decision, there isn’t that much accommodation available in Kitimat, the decision shows that the panel seems to consider Kitimat no different than any other community along the pipeline route. Prince Rupert is not on the planned pipeline route (at least at this time) There are also six days of hearings in Edmonton, which is logical, since that city is the headquarters of the energy industry.

Here is the schedule as posted on the website of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

Location	Venue	Date and Start Time
Kitimat, BC	Riverlodge Recreation Center 654 Columbia Avenue West	10 and 11 January 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Terrace, BC	Sportsplex 3320 Kalum Street	12 January 2012 Starting at 1:00 p.m.
Smithers, BC	Hudson Bay Lodge and Convention Centre 3251 East Highway 16	16 January 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Burns Lake, BC	Island Gospel Fellowship Church 810 Highway 35	17 January 2012 Starting at 1:00 p.m.
Prince George, BC	Ramada Hotel Downtown 444 George Street	18 January 2012 Starting at 6:00 p.m.
Edmonton, AB	Wingate Inn Edmonton West Hotel 18220 – 100th Avenue	24, 25, 26, 27, 30 and 31 January 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Fort St. James, BC	Royal Canadian Legion, Branch no. 268 330 – 4th Avenue East	2 February 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Bella Bella, BC	Heiltsuk Elders Building	3 February 2012 Starting at 6:30 p.m. 4 February 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Prince Rupert, BC	North Coast Meeting and Convention Centre 240 – 1st Avenue West	16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 February 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Masset, BC	Howard Phillips Community Hall 1590 Cook Street	28 February 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Queen Charlotte City, BC	Queen Charlotte Community Hall134 Bay Street	29 February 2012 Starting at 1:00 p.m.
Grande Prairie, AB	Quality Hotel and Conference Centre 11201 – 100 Avenue	26 March 2012 Starting at 6:00 p.m. 27 and 28 March 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.
Courtenay, BC	To be determined	30 and 31 March and 2 and 3 April 2012 Starting at 9:00 a.m.

Other locations where the venue availability and logistics have not yet been confirmed include: Klemtu, BC, Hartley Bay, BC, Kitkatla, BC and Bella Coola, BC.

After the Panel has heard all oral evidence, it will then hear oral statements and will follow this estimated schedule.

Estimated Time Frame	Activity
Late March – July 2012	Oral statements from registered participants who live in or near the proposed Project area.
September – October 2012	Final hearings where the applicant, intervenors, government participants and the Panel will question those who have presented oral or written evidence.
November 2012 – March 2013	Oral statements from registered participants who do not live in or near the proposed Project area (i.e. Kelowna, Port Hardy, Victoria, Vancouver, and Calgary).
April 2013	Final argument from the applicant, intervenors and government participants.

That schedule means that the Joint Review Panel will not make any decision on the pipeline until the end of 2013. In the original schedule, final arguments were to be held in June 2012, with a final decision in early fall.

Haisla won’t “negotiate” with Enbridge until after Joint Review decision, Ross says

Energy Environment First Nations

Haisla Nation Chief Councillor Ellis Ross speaking at the September 2011 District of Kitimat public forum on the Northern Gateway Pipeline. (Robin Rowland/Northwest Coast Energy News)

Haisla Nation Chief Councillor Ellis Ross said Friday that Haisla will not “negotiate” with Enbridge over its planned Northern Gateway Pipeline until after there has been a decision from the Joint Review Panel on whether or not the pipeline is in the public interest.

Ross said the Haisla had recently written to Minister of the Environment Peter Kent, asking if the Crown was prepared to enter the constitutionally mandated consultations with First Nations over the pipeline. Ross says Kent’s reply indicated that there would be no Crown consultations until after the conclusion of the Joint Review Process.

The Joint Review Panel hearings begin in Kitimat on January 10, 2012. The hearings will proceed in two stages, first hearing presentations from registered intervenors, with the second phase hearing from members of the public who wish to give 10 minute comments on the pipeline project. That stage of the process could take up to three months before the panel can even begin to consider a decision.

Reacting to today’s decision by Gitxsan hereditary chiefs to sign an agreement with Enbridge to take a $7 million partnership stake in the pipeline, Ross said he was surprised by the move, “given the opposition from the public so far, and we’ve be told that in terms of consultation and accommodation [with First Nations].”

Earlier today, in the news conference with Gitxsan heriditary chief Elmer Derrick, Enbridge executive vice president of Western Access Janet Holder told reporters that the company was negotiating with all 50 First Nations along the pipeline route.

Ross disagreed with that term. He said, “The Haisla are not negotiating with Enbridge. You can’t confuse negotiation and talking.” He said without the participation of the Crown there is no real process for negotiations and accommodation with First Nations over the pipeline.

Ross said any talks with Enbridge by First Nations shouldn’t be considered negotiations unless there is some type of formal agreement saying “we are in negotiations.”

Ross also said in terms of possible agreements with Enbridge “it is pretty easy to negotiate in an area where there will be very little impact.”

The Haisla, he said, have all three major impacts from the Northern Gateway project, “the pipeline, the terminal and the tankers. It`s pretty easy to negotiate if you`re not paying the full price. The Haisla will pay in full if the project goes ahead.”

The Haisla have always been wary of the Enbridge project but have also been careful in stating their opposition to the pipeline. At public meeting in Kitimat in September, Ross said, in part.

As far as we can tell, based on oil company’s track records, there will be a spill whether it is pipeline, terminal or tanker.

The only questions are how much oil will be spilled, who will clean it up and who will pay for the cleanup. We’ve been accused of NIMBY but in terms of our concerns, when it comes to a spill, we predict a POTB (Passing of the Buck) will occur…

And ultimately, apart from the acceptable risks that Haisla have already taken on against our will as well as current risks that we are a part of mitigating, why do we want to consider a project that has the potential to destroy the beauty of our resources that are still left?

We are not opposed to development, but in the case of oil export or oil by products import/export, the Precautionary Principle still makes the most sense

Other First Nations also reacted strongly to the Gitxsan chiefs’ decision.

In a news release Chief Na’Moks (John Ridsdale) representing the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs said:

Enbridge is just not going to happen. We have said no and banned this pipeline from going through our territories – not only to protect ourselves and our lands, but also all the communities downriver from our lands. We have reviewed the project, and we have made a decision based in our traditional laws that we will not allow the devastation of an Enbridge oil spill in our lands to affect us and other communities further away who are all connected to us through the water.

Chief Jackie Thomas of Saik’uz First Nation, speaking for the Yinka Dene Alliance, stated:

Enbridge has always had a strategy of offering money to lots of First Nations. Lots of First Nations have refused this money. This is just the same old divide and conquer tactic we’ve known for centuries. It doesn’t matter who they get a deal with. The wall of First Nations saying no is unbroken. They plan to come through our territories and we’ve already said no, and we’ll use every legal means we have to stop them.

Their proposed pipeline is against our laws because we refuse to put our communities at the risk of oil spills. Water means more to us than money. We know we have overwhelming support from a large majority of British Columbians for stopping this dangerous Enbridge pipeline.

Not just energy: Asia’s demand for aluminum brings $2.7 billion upgrade for RTA Kitimat smelter

Aluminum
Rio Tinto Alcan president primary metals, Jean Simon, announces the go-ahead for the Kitimat Modernization Project at ceremony at the plant in Kitimat, Dec. 1, 2011. (Robin Rowland/Northwest Coast Energy News)

“It’s a go.”

The “go” meant that the Rio Tinto Alcan board had finally approved spending $2.7 billion for the long awaited Kitimat modernization project that would update the 60-year old aluminum smelter, increasing production capacity by 48 per cent to 420,000 tonnes a year.

Rio Tinto Alcan primary metal president Jean Simon made the announcement Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 to cheers at a theatre (converted from the dining hall) at the new construction camp at the Kitimat smelter.

That money is in addition to expenditures already approved, bringing the total investment in the modernization project to $3.3 billion US.

“This will help us put Kitimat and Canada at the forefront of the 21st century global aluminum industry,” Simon said. “It is a truly transformational project.” He said it was in line with RTA’s long term strategic objective of long life, large scale, low cost assets. The project, Simon said, will take advantage of Rio Tinto Alcan’s competitive advantages: clean self generated hydro power and leading edge technology.

If all goes as expected, the first new metal will be poured in the first of half of 2014.

The new smelter will use a RTA proprietary smelting technology that reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 per cent.

The long planned project had been put on hold in 2008 as the world weathered the financial meltdown.

Kitimat mayor Joanne Monaghan said at the ceremony, “This is something our community has been waiting a very long, long time for….Kitimat has suffered through some very had economic times over the last several years and this announcement means we have the certainty that the aluminum business will be here for the next 35 to 50 years… We’ve seen a lot of industry disappear from Kitimat over the past few year and its been hard on our community. In fact, with Methanex leaving, with Eurocan leaving I felt like the mayor of doom. And then, all of a sudden, all of these things are happening. And I feel like the mayor of boom.

“We know the importance of that first initial investment to show that Kitimat is the strategic place to invest. And when RTA began its expansion, and its construction camp, then all of a sudden three LNG plants came on stream. We had a biomass plant ready to come in. So thank you Alcan for starting that whole trend for people coming into our community.”

It is Asia is fueling Kitimat’s new boom, and not just in natural gas, but also in aluminum. When Kitimat was planned and built 60 and more years ago, Asia, China, Japan, Korea were in ruins, devastated by the Second World War. Now it is Asia, and the short great circle route from Kitimat harbour to the market ports, that is one reason that the Kitimat modernization project was approved.

“Most of the aluminum is going into Asia. Korea, Japan and other countries,” Simon said in a post-ceremony news conference. “We’ve been producing here for 60 years and Kitimat has always been recognized as a very solid, reliable and good quality producer of aluminum so our customers from Asia are demanding the metal from Kitimat. So this is good news for them too.”

Paul Henning, RTA vice president of BC operations, is not only a corporate manager. He was the very entertaining master of ceremonies for the announcement. (Robin Rowland/Northwest Coast Energy News).

Paul Henning, VP BC Operations and strategic projects Western Canada, was asked if Kitimat can handle the demand and possible bottle necks with, as well as Kitimat modernization, three LNG projects, possibly the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and perhaps other projects in the coming couple of years.

“The good news is that we’re first,” Henning said. “The folks who grab the ball usually have a chance. We’re working with those folks. People availability will be the key. I think there’s a lot of common sense going on, these are mega projects. Mega projects need lots of people. I wouldn’t call it coordination, but there is an understanding. They understand our timing, we understand their timing.

“All being equal we’re not competitors. It’s going to be an extended boom for the region. And of course, the projects are stacked, all trying to happen at the same time.

“It’s challenging, just for resources and infrastructure. If they can be spread, it’s a win, win, win. At the end of the day Our business drives what we do in the timing. Their business care drives their timing. At the end of the day, we’re first in.”

Thursday wasn’t the best day to show Kitimat off to the world, with a cold wind driving sleet, snow and rain all at the same time. BC Premier Christy Clark’s plane was turned back from Terrace Kitimat airport and a second aircraft with RTA CEO Jacynthe Cote was redirected to Prince Rupert.

RTA employees and guests watch a slideshow of historic photos of the early days of Kitimat before the official ceremony announcing the go-ahead for the Kitimat modernization project. (Robin Rowland/Northwest Coast Energy News)

As the audience and guests waited for the arrivals that were not to come, there was a slideshow of historic photos on giant LED screens, showing the early days of Kitimat, the construction of the dam, transmission lines, townsite and the potlines.

Then the elaborate ceremony began, with Paul Henning acting as master of ceremonies, introducing the Haisla Spirit of the Kitlope drummers before Simon made the “go” announcement.

It was good community relations that helped the RTA board give the go-head, Simon said.

“We will also honour the landmark Haisla Nation, Rio Tinto Alcan Legacy Agreement and are proud of this partnership to provide opportunities and training and that is resulting in increasing numbers of Haisla Nation members working on the project,” said Simon.

Haisla chief councillor Ellis Ross had been flying up with Christy Clark, so Councillors Henry Amos, Alex Grant and Keith Nyce were at the ceremony on behalf of the Haisla. “On behalf of the Haisla Nation, we offer you a warm welcome to our Traditional Territory. The Haisla Nation has worked very closely with RTA and supported the reality of this important and exciting decision. Together with RTA, our Nation is very proud of the legacy agreement we have reached.” Nyce said.

The Haisla are not only our closest neighbours but our best friends,” Henning said at the news conference. “It hasn’t always been like that. I think leadership from the Haisla, starting with Steve Wilson, transferring to Ellis Ross. Ellis has taken it to another level. The recognition of wanting to engage in the future was the key. We had to recognize and respect that past, to learn how to work together and build for the future.

“It’s actually a cohesive joint approach to economic development and sustainability within the Haisla First Nation and the plant. It actually betters the plant because we have employees that live here, work here, there are 120 Haisla folks who are working within the operation. That to me is sustainability in real time.”

Henning is also confident that the company will successfully negotiate a new contract with the Canadian Auto Workers local. Henning said that 2007 contract was designed to get the company through to first hot metal but then the financial crisis struck.”The good news gives us certainty.”Henning said. “We know what we have to drive for. We’ll get a contract, we’ll get a contract, we always do. Some are prettier than others. The confidence from this is a great start. The union were here today, I am confident that we will get through and get a contract that really fits this program.”

After he took the podium, Michel Lamarre, director of the Kitimat Modernization Project joked. “We often say that when we get married, and it’s raining, the marriage is very strong and I think this is going to be the case for the KMP project.” He said Kitimat management had made a very solid case for a very solid project to the RTA board.

Michel Lamarre, director of the Kitimat modernization project, talks about the challenges of the next two years until first metal in 2014. (Robin Rowland/Northwest Coast Energy News)

“We are building a state of the art facility which will be a jewel. This is something we can all be proud of… The next two years will be very busy and very exciting. Let’s build the project with zero harm, zero harm to the people who are building it and zero harm to the environment.”

The weather was just too nasty for an official ground breaking ceremony at the construction site, so it was moved indoors, with RTA executives and employees, the Haisla representatives and Mayor Monaghan turning the shovels into a ceremonial pile of dirt.

The indoor groundbreaking ceremony marking the approval of the Kitimat modernization project. Left to right Michel Lamarre, director KMP, RTA operations employee Ron Leibach, Brent Hegger, VP major projects, Kitimat mayor Joanne Monaghan, Jean Simon, RTA president primary metals, Paul Henning, VP BC operations and Henry Amos, Councillor, Haisla Nation. (Dwight Magee/RTA)

Rio Tinto Alcan to make announcement Thursday about Kitimat growth plans

Rio Tinto Alcan has called a news conference for Thursday, December 1 in Kitimat “to make an announcement regarding
the company’s multi-billion dollar growth plans.”

BC Premier Christy Clark, Rio Tinto CEO Jacynthe Cote, Jean Simon, president, RTA Primary Metal North America, Paul Henning, RTA vice president, British Columbia Operations & Strategic Projects, Western Canada and key regional stakeholders and First Nations representatives will be at the announcement at the Kitimat Modernization site during the noon hour.

The RTA news release says the announcement will be a significant event for Kitimat, the northwest region of the province, and all of British Columbia. It is likely, especially with the BC premier in attendance, the RTA is giving the go ahead for the long planned $2.5 billion smelter modernization project.

Updates

Sources have told Northwest Coast Energy News that applicants for jobs at the Kitimat Modernization Project, where the prime contractor is Bechtel, were told during the past month to wait until the end of November and that time, the applicants were told, there would probably be between 500 and 550 jobs available.

The Globe and Mail reports:

Rio Tinto to go ahead with Kitimat smelter expansion

Rio Tinto Alcan is pushing ahead with construction of a $3.3-billion (U.S.) smelter in Kitimat, B.C., even as stagnant prices have spurred a selloff of other aluminum assets.

London-based Rio Tinto PLC, which acquired Montreal-based aluminum giant Alcan for $38.1-billion in 2007, is expected to announce Thursday it has final approval to modernize the 57-year-old smelter to double its capacity

Approval will see Rio spend another $2.7-billion on Kitimat, after already setting aside $650-million towards the upgrade, raising the construction price tag more than 30 per cent from $2.5-billion. The plan includes demolishing a building and clearing space for a new plant.

Giant Japanese energy consortium buys into BC shale gas

Energy

A large Japanese consortium lead by Inpex Corporation has agreed to buy a 40 per cent stake in shale gas assets owned by Calgary-based Nexen, an energy exploration company.

A Nexen news release calls the deal “a strategic partnership.” The deal is worth $700 million and covers the development of shale gas deposits in the Horn River, Cordova and Liard basins in northeast BC

Inpex is a partner with Shell in an Indonesian liquified natural gas project. Shell recently purchased the old Methanex site and marine terminal in Kitimat.

Nexen will continue to manage operations at the deposits.

The news release quotes Marvin Romanow, Nexen’s President and Chief Executive Officer, as saying :”This joint venture represents a significant milestone in the advancement of our shale gas strategy and the premium over our invested cost shows the value we have created in a short time. The transaction provides us with world-class partners that have significant upstream and LNG expertise. It also recognizes the outstanding team we have put in place and the execution excellence they have consistently demonstrated.”

The Nexen release goes on to say:

Inpex currently conducts 71 oil and gas projects in 26 countries, making them Japan’s largest oil and gas exploration and production company. They are engaged in exploration, development and production activities around the globe with production of over 400,000 boe/d and have the largest oil and gas reserves and production volume of any Japanese E&P company.

Inpex brings significant LNG expertise and market access to the partnership. They own interests in large LNG projects including resource in both Indonesia and Australia and are building a regasification terminal in Japan. Inpex holds a 76% working interest in the Ichthys LNG project offshore Australia and is the operator. The project is expected to deliver LNG production volumes of 8.4 million tonnes per year. Inpex holds a 60% working interest in the Abadi LNG project offshore eastern Indonesia and is the operator (in July 2011, Inpex signed an agreement with Shell for transfer of a 30% participating interest. This transaction is subject to certain conditions). The project is expected to deliver LNG production volumes of 2.5 million tonnes per year. The production volume from these two projects is equivalent to 15% or more of Japan’s current LNG annual import volumes.

Energy industry tweeters are already speculating that the natural gas will likely be exported through Kitimat.

First Nations are calling for a complete overhaul of the Northern Gateway Joint Review process

Energy Environment

British Columbia’s coastal First
Nations are calling for a complete overhaul of the Northern Gateway
Joint Review process and have a filed motion that calls for the hearings, scheduled to begin
January 10, be adjourned until the proceedings are reformed.

Motions were filed between
October 28 and November 14, with the JRP by the Coastal First
Nations, an alliance of coastal aboriginal nations, the Haisla First
Nation in Kitimat, the Gitxaala First Nation in Kitkatla and a coalition of
environmental groups known as the Sustainability Coalition that
includes the Living Oceans Society, Raincoast Conservation
Foundation, ForestEthics.

A number of reasons emerged in
recent weeks that led to the motions.

The First Nations and environmental
groups spent the summer studying the hundreds of thousands of pages of
studies, plans and other documents filed by Enbridge and its
consulting firms with the Joint Review Panel.

The Haisla First Nation, Gitxaala
First Nation, the Coastal First Nations coalition and the
Sustainability Coalition then filed a series of questions and
requests for clarification with Enbridge based on those documents.
It soon became clear that there was no time for Enbridge or its
consultants to respond to the questions before the hearings are
scheduled to begin on January 10, 2012.

The Joint Review Panel also recently
rejected a request from the Haisla that the First Nations’ evidence
and oral comments be heard at the same time.

Art Sterritt, executive director of Coastal First Nations
addresses the
Solidarity Gathering of Nations at Kitamaat Village, May
2010.
(Robin Rowland/Northwest Coast Energy News)

In September, Enbridge CEO Pat
Daniel did meet with the Coast First Nations and according to Art
Sterritt, executive director, asked for a “fresh start” in the
company’s relationship with First Nations. Sterritt said that Daniel
admitted to the meeting that Enbridge had not listened.

Sterritt said he asked Daniel to
support Coastal First Nations request for a delay and overhaul of the
Joint Review Process. Daniel promised to get back to them. There was
no hints of any other deal in the offing as reported on Tuesday,
November 23 by The Globe and Mail and other media.Gateway pipeline,
contradicting
media reports that a deal with Enbridge was in the offing.

In
a news release issued Wednesday, Nov. 23, Sterritt, said:

The Coastal First Nations categorically oppose Enbridge’s
Northern Gateway Project ….we unequivocally maintain our ban
on oil tankers on the coast.”

It was Mr. Daniels, of
Enbridge, who spoke of wanting a fresh start with the Coastal First
Nation.

Sterritt, on behalf of the board, told Daniels that a
fresh start from the Coastal First Nations perspective meant having
Enbridge ask the Joint Review Panel (JRP) to stand down. “The
Joint Review Process is seen by the Coastal First Nations not as
objective, rather as a process that advances the Enbridge
Project.

Subsequently the Coastal First Nations has been
informed that Enbridge is not prepared to ask the JRP to stand down
or reveal who the other proponents are, he said.

In August of
2009, Enbridge stated that the proposed project would not go ahead if
First Nations communities opposed it, said Sterritt. “None of
our communities support the project. Nor do any First Nations along
the pipeline route.” “Why would we support a proposal that
would put our rivers, oceans and lifesource at risk?” Sterritt
said. “It’s time Pat Daniels and Enbridge take the correct
action and give us the fresh start they promised. It’s time to shut
down the Joint Review Process and the Northern Gateway project.”

Sterritt told Northwest Coast Energy News that they had heard
nothing from Daniel for two to three weeks and had to contact his
office, and then were told that Enbridge could not agree to a delay
in the Joint Review Process nor could it reveal, for confidentiality
reasons, who the other “proponents” are.

The first motion to the JRP, filed by the Haisla First Nation on
October 28, concentrates on the long list of questions and
clarifications, calling for Northern Gateway to provide a “full and
adequate response” to their concerns by a fixed date and until
that happens

an amendment to the Hearing Order that sets new and reasonable
deadlines for information requests and written intervenor evidence,
oral testimony and final hearings once the Northern Gateway has
provided all the information required….

The other motions are similar. The Gitxaala motion also calls
for release of studies that have not yet been filed on the Northern
Gateway site, asking that “Northern Gateway provide copies of
pending studies referenced in its various responses to information
requests from the Gitxaala and the Government of Canada.”

The part of the motion looks like the First Nations want to be able to forgo the often overly formal National Energy Board legal process to allow both presentation of evidence and oral comments from First Nations members, as the Haisla requested.

The flexibility in deadlines is also needed because, so far, Enbridge has not clarified its announced plans for a possible natural gas pipeline to the west coast and how that might affect the Northern Gateway.
(See Editorial, Oct. 7, Lawyers have a lot to be thankful for )

The Joint Review Panel did extend the deadline for information
requests for the four groups filing the motion notwithstanding the
previous deadline of November 3.

Other intervenors have until November 30 to file their own
comments. Northern Gateway can respond by filing comments up until
December 9, and the four that filed the original motions can respond
to those comments by Dec 20.

All other written evidence must filed by December 22, in
compliance with the original order.

Given the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, any decision to
postpone the Joint Review hearings will have to come quite close to
the January 10 opening date.

Enbridge had no comment on the notice of motion or its discussions with the
group, spokesman Paul Stanway told Reuters:”We
remain committed to the consultation process and to the regulatory
review. We’re talking to a number of first nations and we will continue
to talk to them.”

JRP letter summarizing motion files by Haisla Nation, Coastal First Nations, Gitxaala Nation and the Sustainibility Coalition (pdf)

Haisla Information request(pdf)

Haisla notice of motion (pdf)

Coastal First Nations reaffirm opposition to Northern Gateway and tanker traffic

Energy Environment

Updated at 1630 Nov. 23, with First Nations are calling for a complete overhaul of the Northern Gateway Joint Review process

The Coastal First Nations have reaffirmed their “categorical” opposition to the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, contradicting media reports that a deal with Enbridge was in the offing.

In a news release issued Wednesday, Nov. 23, Art Sterritt, executive director said:

The Coastal First Nations categorically oppose Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Project ….we unequivocally maintain our ban on oil tankers on the coast.”

It was Mr. Daniels, of Enbridge, who spoke of wanting a fresh start with the Coastal First Nation.

Sterritt, on behalf of the board, told Daniels that a fresh start from the Coastal First Nations perspective meant having Enbridge ask the Joint Review Panel (JRP) to stand down. “The Joint Review Process is seen by the Coastal First Nations not as objective, rather as a process that advances the Enbridge Project.

Subsequently the Coastal First Nations has been informed that Enbridge is not prepared to ask the JRP to stand down or reveal who the other proponents are, he said.

In August of 2009, Enbridge stated that the proposed project would not go ahead if First Nations communities opposed it, said Sterritt. “None of our communities support the project. Nor do any First Nations along the pipeline route.”
“Why would we support a proposal that would put our rivers, oceans and lifesource at risk?” Sterritt said. “It’s time Pat Daniels and Enbridge take the correct action and give us the fresh start they promised. It’s time to shut down the Joint Review Process and the Northern Gateway project.”

More to come

Anti Kitimat pipeline 1977 letter from Tommy Douglas goes viral on Twitter

Energy Environment Social Media

The environmental group the Dogwood Initiative has discovered a letter from the late New Democratic Party leader Tommy Douglas, opposing a Kitimat pipeline project in 1977. (pdf)

Dogwood’s initial post about the letter, which is on the institute’s website, quickly went viral on Twitter at least in British Columbia.

The Feb. 8, 1977, warns that a group called the Kitimat Pipeline Project, a consortium of U.S. owned or controlled companies planned to build a pipeline from Edmonton to Kitimat to then onship oil to ports in the United States.

The Douglas letter goes over arguments that are familiar to those following the current controversy over the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, the few jobs in British Columbia as opposed to jobs in the United States, why were there no refining jobs in Canada and the advantage of tax revenue all opposed to the prospect of a catastrophic oil spill on the west coast.

Douglas urges the people of BC to petition the federal government and to ask for public hearings. He concludes by saying:

Remember that in a democracy, governments are your servants not your masters. It is your land, your environment and your future that are at stake. Now is the time to speak out in clear and unmistakable terms and say “Keep tankers out of Kitimat.”

First nations seek fresh start with Enbridge over pipeline to coast: Globe and Mail

Energy Environment Politics

Carrie Tait writing in the Globe and Mail in First nations seek fresh start with Enbridge over pipeline to coast

First nations groups protesting against Enbridge Inc.’s controversial pipeline to the B.C. coast will reconsider their opposition to the project if its regulatory approval process is put on hold.

The Coastal First Nations in a September meeting told Pat Daniel, Enbridge’s chief executive, they want the Joint Review Panel (JRP) to delay hearings on the company’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline so negotiations between the two sides can resume and a stronger relationship can be built….

The Coastal First Nations say it is not to late for Enbridge to win them over on the Gateway plan.

“If we could have a fresh start and were able build a good relationship, the Coastal First Nations might be willing to take another look at the project,” Art Sterritt, the group’s executive director, said in an interview. “That wouldn’t mean we would necessarily come out and agree with it, but we would certainly take a closer look at it.”

Monaghan re-elected Kitimat mayor, anti-pipeline rival Halyk well back

Politics

Updated with official results
Joanne Monaghan has been re-elected at mayor of Kitimat. Her chief rival, Councillor Randy Halyk was far behind.

During the campaign, Halyk announced his opposition to the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline. Mongahan maintained her official position of neutrality on the pipeline, although there were repeated allegations during the campaign that she supports the pipeline. Monaghan has been vocal in her support of other projects like liquified natural gas and the modernization of the Rio Tinto Alcan plant.

Official results

Joanne Monaghan 1356
Randy Halyk 619
Jim Thom 304
Danny Nunes 85

There will be a couple of new faces on District of Kitimat Council, with newcomer Edwin Empinado gaining the most votes at 1403, followed by Mario Feldhoff, 1320, Phil Germuth, 1294, Mary Murphy, 1247, Rob Goffinet, 1167, and Corrine Scott, 1099.

Voter turnout in Kitimat was 55 per cent.

Although incumbents were generally acclaimed or returned across the northwest, in Smithers, Taylor Bachrach, who has voiced opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline was elected mayor, defeating incumbent Cress Farrow. Bachrach promised a more collaborative style of leadership (an issue also in the Kitimat election. Bachrach also supports the Wet’suwet’en First Nation;s opposition to the pipeline. At least four of the successful Smithers council candidates also oppose the pipeline.

In Terrace, mayor Dave Pernarowski was re-elected and he too has voiced opposition to the Northern Gateway as do most of the Terrace council.