Kitimat Council has postponed their decision on modifying a covenant for a proposed Cedar LNG pipeline running through town. Although the proposal is generally supported by stakeholders, the district, influenced by public feedback, is considering the inclusion of a sunset clause in the agreement before finalising the $111,000 deal.
Expected to be presented to the council in the coming weeks, the clause aims to set a deadline for Cedar LNG to make their final investment decision, or the original covenant would be reinstated. The specific time frame has not yet been determined.
At the last regular meeting Jan. 22 council members Terry Marleau and Mario Feldhoff both suggested the additional clause. “Unless that’s problematic for some reason that hasn’t been communicated to us, I would move that we explore a protector stipulation,” Feldhoff said.
The Kitimat Valley Naturalists (KVN) have shown particular interest in the modified covenant. Established in 1984 with Ocelot Industries,, the covenant was meant to preserve the 6.5 hectares of land, sandwiched between the west bank of the Kitimat River and what’s now the LNG Canada site, as a greenbelt and recreation zone. A pipeline would typically breach these restrictions, but because the site had been previously disturbed with a dirt road on the western edge, it’s more palatable to allow Cedar LNG to use that space for the pipeline. With some widening, Cedar LNG plans to bury the line under the road.
KVN, while endorsing the proposal, has urged council to seek compensation from from the landowner, LNG Canada, for their continued use of the road, but they are satisfied with Cedar LNG’s offer of $111,000.
KVN is also seeking clarity on the original breach and assurances against future violations.
“It’s a small ribbon of land, but it’s more the principal of it,” said KVN president Peter Ponter. “It’s hard to understand how it happened, but it happened. We mostly want some assurance that there’s an effort to try harder next time.”
He reiterated KVN’s support of the Cedar LNG’s new pipeline route, and commended the Haisla-owned company for its mindfulness of the the covenant.
The district has not yet given any hints it will investigate past infractions, but has stated it plans to bring all parties into compliance and will try in earnest to prevent future infractions on this and all other covenants.
“This has raised some bigger [concerns] for us to take a look at, with all the different charges on land, to make sure they’re taken care of,” District CAO Warren Waycheshen said during the council meeting.
He added that staff are planning to digitise its mapping system to better document and review all covenants.
The proposed pipeline will supply natural gas to the Cedar LNG site on the west side of Douglas Channel, about 10 kilometres south of the Kitimat town centre.
By using the covenant land, the pipeline’s route will shorten from from 10 km to 1 km. This change avoids crossing sensitive areas like the Kitimat River, old forest zones, and the Strawberry Meadows neighbourhood.
Cedar LNG has pledged to minimise disturbances and maintain the natural state of the revised covenant area during pipeline construction and maintenance. The company will also be responsible for cleaning up any debris and repairing any damage caused. The revised covenant area is restricted to a maximum width of 15 metres, with the pipeline to be laid under the existing road.
The district plans to allocate the $111,000 to the Ecological Restoration Reserve Fund fund.
