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Spectra Energy outlines pipeline plans

A team from Spectra Energy were in Prince Rupert for an open house about the pipeline that would serve the BG Group's LNG terminal.
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Errol Batchelor

A team from Spectra Energy were in Prince Rupert last week putting on an open house to start a conversation about the potential pipeline that would serve the BG Group's proposed liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal on Ridley Island.

Spectra has been putting on a series of open houses along or near the proposed route to discuss aspects of the project and gather input from affected communities.

"The open house is just one step in our conversation with British Columbians and specifically folks in Prince Rupert about the project," Rosemary Silva, communications manager of Spectra Energy, said.

"It was a good opportunity for us to explain our process."

Approximately 50 people attended the open house, and heard from about two dozen members of the project's team, who are working on issues such as the project's route, safety, environmental and engineering studies, community benefits, seismic testing and construction.

Silva said many at the open house were interested in the environmental aspects of the protect, route planning, changing market dynamics, employment and long-term benefits for communities and the province.

Silva said the Google Earth fly-over station that took people on a virtual tour of the 850 kilometres of proposed pipeline was well-visited by individuals.

Spectra said they have selected the potential route after looking at a number of environmental factors.

"Our approach is really about minimizing the length of new land disturbances. We tried to go to existing disturbances to minimize and mitigate stakeholder and First Nations concerns, and minimize impact on environmental sensitive areas," Silva said.

Silva said people were also interested in environmental assessment process, and stated from a regulatory perspective, Spectra is in the pre-application stage.

Spectra filed a draft Application Information Requirements (AIR) with the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (BC EAO) in November to identify information needed to complete an environmental assessment.

"We've now developed our draft application requirements, which really just overviewed the various studies and assessments that we're going to be undertaking leading up to actually filing an application," Silva said.

A public comment period on the AIR started at the beginning of May, and will continue until June 2.

Interested parties are invited to comment directly to the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office, with comments and Spectra's responses helping define the final AIR.

Representatives from the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office were also in attendance collecting feedback from people at the open house.

Spectra is expected to file the environmental assessment application in 2014.