The company behind a major LNG export terminal on British Columbia’s North Coast has been handed a $50,000 administrative penalty related to underwater noise while building a tug terminal three years ago.
The tug terminal was a part of Phase 1 of LNG Canada’s natural gas liquefaction and export terminal in Kitimat, which began operations last year.
B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) said in a decision dated Sept. 17 that LNG Canada (LNGC) contravened its environmental assessment certificate while pile-driving on nearly two dozen dates in May and June of 2023.
In handing down the decision, the office concluded the company had failed to adhere to elements of its marine mammal management and monitoring plan (MMP).
The decision found that LNG Canada had failed to adequately monitor underwater acoustics at the predicted boundary of a marine mammal exclusion zone (MMEZ), had not deployed multiple marine mammal observers during work and had not deployed noise-abating bubble curtains during all piling activities — all requirements under its MMP.
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The company disputed the findings in its response to the EAO, arguing its non-compliance was a procedural issue about whether it should have consulted with regulators before modifying its monitoring plan.
It said it had used vibratory, rather than impact, pile-driving in order to mitigate underwater noise — a practice it said rendered an originally mandated 1.9-kilometre MMEZ unnecessary.
And it argued it had complied with the intent of its environmental certificate conditions by implementing an adaptive, risk-based monitoring framework that had successfully protected marine life.
It said subsequent hydroacoustic modelling had confirmed a quick reduction in noise pressure and a lack of impact on aquatic mammals.
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The regulator rejected those arguments, concluding that the requirements in the MMP weren’t subject to interpretation or change.
“Regardless of whether LNGC’s interpretation was reasonable, the approved Construction MMP remained in force during the 2023 piling program and had not been amended or replaced,” it stated.
The regulatory scheme “did not require LNGC to implement monitoring and mitigation measures that it considered sufficient or technically preferable,” it added.
“It required LNGC to implement the approved MMP,” the decision reads.
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In a statement, a spokesperson for LNG Canada said the company was assessing the EAO’s final determination.
It added that the company had taken “concrete steps” to address the issue raised in the decision, and to strengthen monitoring and compliance — including creating an updated marine monitoring plan which the province approved in 2025.
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The federal government has identified LNG Canada as a project of national importance.
In late September the company confirmed it would move ahead with with its $33-billion Phase 2 expansion of the project, which will double production at the site from 14 million to 28 million tonnes of LNG annually.
