Northeast B.C. Cabin Gas Plant Approved
An environmental assessment certificate has been approved for Encana's proposed $800-million Cabin Gas Plant, which will be located in the Horn River Basin north of Fort Nelson, British Columbia. The natural gas processing plant will be the province's largest point source emitter. At full operational capacity, the plant will emit 2.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year — the equivalent of adding almost 450,000 cars to British Columbia roads. In August, the Pembina Institute submitted a letter to the Environmental Assessment Office with recommendations for addressing the climate change implications of the project. However, the recommendations, which included requiring that the proposed facility be equipped with zero or low emissions technology, such as carbon capture and storage, were rejected. For more information:
- read the blog post by Matt Horne of the Pembina Institute
Coalbed Methane and Salmon
Coalbed methane (CBM) development has been proposed for Northwest British Columbia's Headwaters region, where three of the province's most important wild salmon rivers—the Skeena, Nass and Stikine—begin. If development proceeds, it would be the first time commercial coalbed methane production has been attempted in salmon-bearing watersheds.
A report commissioned by the Pembina Institute, Coalbed Methane and Salmon: Assessing the Risks, found that CBM extraction in Northwest British Columbia poses potentially significant risks to salmon. CBM requires a much higher density of wells, roads and pipelines than conventional gas, and typically leaves a very large footprint on the land. In addition, water must often be removed from the ground before coalbed methane can be produced. Download the report or the four-page fact sheet, "Coalbed Methand and Salmon: Trial or Error?" for more information.
For general information on coalbed methane in British Columbia, please read our fact sheet, "Resource Development in the North: Coalbed Methane in British Columbia."
Community Outreach
The Pembina Institute has presented energy-related talks and grassroots workshops in more than 15 communities 
throughout British Columbia since 2005. Often, the only perspective remote communities receive on proposed energy projects comes from the energy company itself or from the government. We provide communities with information about the potential environmental and social impacts of fossil fuel development, as well as possible sustainable energy alternatives. In addition to providing information, our workshops help communities develop strategies for responding to industrial development and build networks of people concerned about energy issues.
For example, Pembina delivered workshops to communities along the proposed route of Enbridge's Gateway pipeline, including Kitimat, Hazelton, Burns Lake, Fort St. James and Prince George. The workshops included presentations by four First Nations women who spoke about the impacts of mining and oil and gas development on their traditional territories. The Gateway pipeline project has since been put on hold.
In collaboration with Wildsight, the Pembina Institute held community forums in Princeton, Keremeos, Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge to inform people about potential impacts from two proposed coal-fired power generation projects. A fact sheet produced for these forums details the threat coal-fired power poses to British Columbia communities. Both of the proposed coal-fired power projects were later put on hold.
The Pembina Institute has also delivered talks and workshops on coalbed methane extraction to communities including Smithers, Fernie, Elkford, Sparwood, Telegraph Creek, Iskut and Dease Lake.
For more information on energy issues affecting northern British Columbia, please see Resource Development in the North a series of fact sheets produced by the Pembina Institute.
If you are interested in having Pembina organize a workshop on energy issues in your community, please contact Karen Campbell.
First Nations and Energy
The Pembina Institute helps First Nations communities effectively address resource development issues. We provide information, network building, tools and resources to support First Nations communities in minimizing the negative impacts of fossil fuel projects and developing clean, safe, renewable energy alternatives.
In April 2007, the Pembina Institute participated in the first-ever First Nations Energy Summit, held in North Vancouver, British Columbia. The summit, organized by First Nations leaders, attracted more than 200 participants from across the province. The three-day event saw First Nations leaders, industry and government discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by conventional energy development as well as renewable energy alternatives.
The Pembina Institute produced a discussion paper, Energy Development in British Columbia, for the summit on energy issues facing First Nations communities. The paper looks at the effect of energy development on traditional territories, the environmental impact of oil and gas projects, and the opportunities for low-impact renewable energy such as wind, run-of-river hydro and biomass.
The Pembina Institute works directly with First Nations communities on an ongoing basis through our Sustainable Communities program and our community outreach.
For more information on Pembina's work with First Nations communities in British Columbia, please contact Karen Campbell.
