Coastal GasLink fined $346K for non-compliance

CHETWYND, B.C. — The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) issued penalties totalling $346,000 to Coastal GasLink Pipeline (CGL) on Tuesday for non-compliance.

One penalty of $340,000 was due to insufficient erosion and sediment control measures identified by compliance and enforcement officers during a number of multi-day inspections in April and May 2022.

According to the EAO, an additional $6,000 penalty was issued for providing false and misleading information in October 2022 relating to maintenance and inspection records.

The latest penalties reflect the EAO’s enforcement escalation due to repeated non-compliance with the office’s requirements.

The newest fines follow three previous penalties in January 2023, May 2022 and February 2022 for failing to control erosion and sediment adequately. These fines totalled $455,600.

The EAO takes compliance with the conditions of the environmental assessment certificates seriously and addresses urgent issues identified during the continued inspections immediately.

Due to continued concerns, the EAO has reportedly prioritized the CGL project for compliance monitoring with almost 100 air and ground inspections since the project began in 2019.

The inspections have led to the EAO issuing 59 warnings, 30 orders — including 13 stop-work orders — and over $800,000 in fines.

The EAO said CGL entered into a compliance agreement with the province in July 2022 that required more proactive measures for the remainder of the pipeline’s construction where ground had yet to be broken.

According to the EAO, when a project receives an environmental assessment certificate, it contains legally binding requirements that must be followed for the entirety of the project.

The requirements are intended to prevent adverse environmental, social, cultural, health or economic impacts of a project or impacts to First Nations.

The certificate issued to CGL in 2014 requires the company to develop and follow an environmental management plan. This plan must include measures to protect sensitive wetlands and waterways from sediment caused by erosion.

The EAO says it will continue to monitor the project’s construction, though recent inspections show CGL has improved its erosion and sediment control management.

Additional fines are being considered due to the issues that arose from the wet spring in 2023, which led to multiple stop-work orders and orders to remedy.

Shortly after the fines were announced, CGL responded to the penalties.

CGL said the sediment control measures issues were addressed immediately, and the reporting error was unintentional.

The pipeline will transport natural gas to the approved LNG Canada facility near Kitimat, according to CGL’s website.