Attention Jan E. Hagen
Project Committee Chair
WGSI LNG Storage Project Review
Environmental Assessment Office
P.O. Box 9426 Stn. Prov. Gov. Victoria, B.C. V8W 9V1

Sent via Fax 250-387-2208 and by Mail

Dear Project Committee:

On behalf of our 27,000 members, more than half of whom reside in B.C. and over 200 on the Sunshine Coast, I would like to express our strongest opposition to the construction of a huge above-ground Liquid Natural Gas Storage tank for 85 million cubic metres of natural gas and associated facilities in McNab Creek watershed near Port Mellon.

For your information there was nearly unanimous opposition expressed at the public hearing regarding the rezoning of these lands for that purpose held by the Sunshine Coast Regional District.

One of the ideas brought out was the fact that in this day and age of terrorism such a tank would be a prime target for someone deranged who wanted to make a point or statement to crash a small private plane into the tank in a suicide mission. Being the world’s largest storage tank of flammable material, it could undoubtedly attract such attention. The results of such an insane act would cause tremendous loss of life and extensive damage to the surrounding forest and harm the McNab salmon stream habitat.

This may be a far fetched possibility but it is just as real as the minute but real chance happening of a huge earthquake occurring during the lifetime of this facility that is beyond its ability to cope with. In such an unlikely event, the true devastation caused by the massive failure of the tank no computer model can predict and it is really unknown.

We remain convinced that the risk is not worth the advantage of being able to provide extra gas to the pipeline during a few extremely cold days. Other ways to do this appear to be no more costly (building a second pipeline from the well sources in the North) and have much less associated risks. The scenario of having a second pipeline also has other advantages.

Besides the catastrophic possibilities outlined above, there are other ongoing effects of this giant facility that will degrade the environment which were detailed at the hearings that also make it unwise to construct it. These as systemic to such a large industrial development and impossible to fully mitigate and I am sure you already are already well aware of them so I will not repeat them here.

With global warming and associate climate change as real threat and with our government’s commitment to reduce in total Canada’s fossil fuel consumption, the money that would be spent to build this peak load enhancement facility could much more wisely be spent on making buildings more energy efficient which would alleviate the need to build such a facility. This is a perfect time to say "no" to something that can only encourage increased use and dependency on fossil fuels.

Finally, although we are well aware that the proponent has sworn on a stack of bibles that the facility is not meant for readying gas for tanker shipment, we are sceptical. Such movement of Liquid Natural Gas would truly would be hazardous for all people living on the Sunshine Coast, Lions Bay, Horseshoe Bay and elsewhere in Georgia Strait. We are not convinced that this is not the ultimate goal of the proponents of this development.

While West Coast Gas Services Ltd. promises that no such use of it would be made, the facility could be sold to another corporation and, if the cold weather does not materialize for several years, that company would plead economic hardship and pressure the governments of the day to let the export the excess gas to make the facility "profitable".

The McNab Creek location is a "natural" for such shipment being only 7.5 kilometres away from a deep water port. If this is not the intention, obviously facilities that can do the same job could be built with several smaller tanks elsewhere where they are farther away from civilization and the total failure of any one would not be a catastrophic event.

In a true democracy if the vast majority of local people oppose a development, their will should prevail. If the project is not needed for national defense or security, and if there is a viable alternative that is not opposed, the people’s will should be respected and acted upon. We hope that in your assessment of the "…social, cultural.." effects you take the peoples fears and overwhelming local opposition into account and reject this proposed colossal storage tank for 85 million cubic metres of Natural gas and its associated facilities.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to present our views.

Sincerely yours,

Paul George Director

cc: local environment groups and media