I see the travelling doom and gloom show hit the Valley yet again! Not only does Mr. Finn oppose the Steelhead project, he takes his production anywhere in the province that has the nerve to propose anything to do with shipping our valuable resource to world markets.
His misrepresentations are so numerous that I will only address a few of them mentioned in the Citizen article.
Mr. Finn calls the B.C. government claims about a potential LNG industry “wildly unlikely and ridiculous”.
I have seen his very slick presentation on this topic before. I would suggest that most of his assertions are much more wildly unlikely and ridiculous than those of the government. I would also add, highly opinionated and often just plain wrong.
“This is a giant experiment and one you and me are powering with our tax dollars.”
The LNG industry has been operating safely, worldwide, for over half a century. There are about 37 operating plants and 78 terminals worldwide with many more proposed. The complex I worked at in Indonesia was constructed in 1977 and has had several large scale expansions over the years.
Somehow I don’t understand how a potential $30 billion infusion of private capital into the B.C. economy would cost the taxpayer anything. Just the opposite, as the benefits to B.C. and Canadian economies would be enormous. Young people on the Island would be able to get high paying work without travelling north or out of province.
Mr. Finn slammed lack of sufficient LNG regulations in Canada.
Canadian oil and gas industries are probably the most over regulated in the world. This project will be designed and built to a myriad of BCOG regulations as well as federal regulation and legislation. There are many national and international codes and standards which ensure safety and quality of the construction (CSA, ASME/ANSI, etc.).
“...U.S. bars LNG facilities near human habitation.”
Odd, since there is a 45-year-old facility in the middle of Boston Harbour surrounded by 4.7 million residents. Also the U.S. currently has four world-class facilities under construction and two more in the planning phase.
Canaport NB, has an LNG tank farm with a 10 BCF (billion cubic feet) capacity and the Tilbury facility tank in Delta holds 28,000 cubic metres of gas.
Large fishing villages surrounded the complex where I worked, and there was no adverse affects to their livelihood.
“The potential to ruin an entire shellfish population.” Pure speculation.
Although the majority of LNG facilities are coastal based, including Norway and Alaska, both of which are very similar locations to the island, there has been no adverse effects to any indigenous ocean species that I’m aware of.
Natural gas is the energy of the future as the world transitions from primarily coal power generation into new technologies. This project is a good opportunity for B.C. to participate in this industry and reap the benefits. Unfortunately, the activist agenda, as promoted by Mr. Finn, is constantly putting roadblocks in front of any development whatsoever. The majority of people on the island are non-technical and cannot be expected to see through the errors and hype of this type of presentation.
I recommend that truly interested people check out CAPP, BC Chamber of Shipping, Natural Resources Canada, or LNG info, and avoid any NGOs of the radical environmental industry as they are simply propaganda sites where you will only find lies and hysteria.
R. A. Hailey
Duncan