The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) issued 10 administrative penalties totalling $590,000 to Coastal GasLink Pipeline Ltd. (CGL) on Sept. 11, 2024, for non-compliance with requirements of its environmental assessment certificate.

The penalties concern deficiencies with erosion and sediment control measures identified by compliance and enforcement officers during multi-day inspections along the pipeline construction route in April and May 2023.

These latest financial penalties reflect the EAO’s escalation of enforcement due to repeated non-compliance with EAO requirements. The new fines follow four previous penalties of $340,000 (September 2023), $213,600 (January 2023), $72,500 (February 2022) and $170,100 (May 2022) for failing to adequately control erosion and sediment. A fifth penalty for $6,000 was issued in September 2023 for providing false or misleading information.

The EAO takes matters of compliance with the conditions of all environmental assessment certificates very seriously and escalated enforcement action to address continued concerns with erosion and sediment control. While urgent issues identified during inspections that pose an immediate risk are addressed immediately through stop-work orders, they may also be subject to subsequent financial penalties.

As a result of continued concerns, the EAO prioritized the CGL project for compliance monitoring, with nearly 100 inspections carried out along the pipeline construction route by air and ground since the project started in 2019. These inspections have led to the EAO issuing 59 warnings, 30 orders – including 13 stop-work orders – and, with these latest penalties, approximately $1.3 million in fines. Construction of the pipeline is now complete, however, the EAO will continue to actively monitor the project during the current reclamation work, to ensure it meets all requirements..

When a project receives an environmental assessment certificate, the certificate contains legally binding requirements that must be followed for the life of the project. These requirements are intended to prevent negative environmental, social, cultural, health or economic impacts of a project or impacts to First Nations.

The 2014 environmental assessment certificate for the pipeline project requires CGL to develop and follow an environmental management plan, including measures to protect sensitive wetlands and waterways from sediment caused by erosion that can negatively impact water quality and fish habitat.

As a neutral regulator, the EAO carries out ongoing compliance oversight for all certified projects, with a team of compliance and enforcement officers who conduct both routine and spot inspections and take enforcement action as necessary. This helps ensure that projects are built, operated and decommissioned in compliance with all requirements.

The Coastal GasLink pipeline will connect natural gas facilities west of Dawson Creek to the LNG Canada liquid natural gas export facility near Kitimat, which is under construction.

Learn More:

For information about this project, go to:
https://projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/projects-list
and search “Coastal GasLink.”

For more information about the environmental assessment process, visit: 
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/environmental-assessments/the-environmental-assessment-process