Dear Editor:
At Woodfibre LNG, we are committed to building a project that is right for Squamish and right for the region. Our project team is meeting regularly with people all along Howe Sound to hear their concerns and ensure we are acting on their priorities. From the beginning we have always encouraged community discussion of our proposal, and I personally believe the feedback we are hearing is helping us to design a better project.
On Sunday, however, an article appeared in this paper (Woodfibre LNG Concerns Aired) that contained misinformation that I believe requires clarification.
First, I’d like to reassure your readers that seawater cooling — the process we are proposing to use at our facility — is a proven technology that has been used in more than 50 per cent of LNG plants built since the 1960s.
If our project is built, the system we are designing will meet or exceed environmental standards for water quality and marine safety. And to help ensure we minimize the potential effects on marine plants and animals, water will be discharged through an outlet pipe and a diffuser system at a depth of more than 25 metres, well below where the greatest number of marine organisms are found.
I believe it is also important to clarify that LNG shipping is extremely safe. LNG has been shipped around the world for 50 years, and there has never been any recorded loss of containment from an LNG carrier at sea. If our project is approved, all LNG carriers coming to our site will travel along existing commercial shipping lanes, will be escorted by at least three tug boats and will be crewed by two BC Coast Pilots who know our coast best. Also, our proposal would see just three to four LNG carriers per month — not six to eight as was suggested in the article.
If approved, Woodfibre will also be one of the cleanest LNG plants in the world. It will be powered with electricity from B.C. Hydro, because we know that is the right choice for Squamish and for our environment. Choosing electricity to power our plant will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by about 80 per cent.
At Woodfibre, we intend to be good neighbours and, if approved, we look forward to building a project that will bring responsible and sustainable economic development to the region.
Byng Giraud
vice-president, corporate affairs
Woodfibre LNG Ltd.
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