Coastal GasLink (CGL) has stopped work on more than 10 kilometres of its natural gas pipeline project southwest of Houston in the Morice River watershed, citing rapid snowmelt brought on by high temperatures causing waters to flow over its work areas.
“Environmental experts are currently on site working with our prime contractor to address the affected area,” the company said of erosion and sediment control measures in a brief release May 11.
The company said its work plan builds in reduced construction activity each spring because of snowmelt at which time it concentrates on erosion and sediment control.
CGL said it halted work ahead of an order issued by the provincial Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) indicating that a May 4 inspection found “activities that contravene EAO requirements related to erosion and sediment control causing impacts to sensitive wetlands.”
“The area where work must stop until the deficiencies are remedied is included in a 2022 compliance agreement between the province and CGL. Compliance and enforcement officers determined that activities at the site did not follow the EAO-approved work execution plan for the site,” the EAO stated in its own May 11 release.
The stoppage is within the 77 kilometres of Section 7 of the 670-kilometre-long pipeline which is to deliver gas from northeastern B.C. to the LNG Canada gas liquefaction plant under construction in Kitimat.
There are eight sections to the pipeline and just over 60 per cent of the pipe along Section 7 has been installed.
This stoppage follows four earlier orders issued by the EAO on May 5 and May 6 for CGL to halt construction on 15 kilometres of the pipeline route 130 kilometres northeast of Prince George.
Inspections “found activities at four sites that contravene EAO requirements related to erosion and sediment control,” the assessment office stated in a release.
As it is with the situation southwest of Houston, the assessment office said deficiencies must be remedied to comply with a 2022 compliance agreement between the company and the province.
CGL also said it stopped work at the locations north of Prince George before the EAO issued its orders.
“We have certified professionals in erosion and sediment control who monitor conditions and implement erosion and sediment control measures,” said the company. “There are also independent erosion and sediment control auditors who monitor work across the project route.”