More on this story in the Oct. 5 edition of The Interior News.
The Pacific Northwest LNG project on Lelu Island near Prince Rupert was approved with 190 conditions Tuesday by Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.
Capital costs for the PETRONAS-led project on the coast and upstream to the extraction point in northeast B.C. are estimated at $36 billion.
Protestors occupy Lelu Island and the pipeline route just north of Hazelton along the Suskwa road at the Madii Lii camp. They say the project endangers salmon habitat, water in the Northeast, and contributes too much greenhouse gases.
Scientists with the environmental assessment review found no significant effects on fish with the mitigation and monitoring conditions put in place.
The first cap on annual project greenhouse gases was also part of the list of conditions. That cap is at 4.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, 900,000 less than those proposed by the proponent group.
The B.C. government has also promised to electrify the upstream natural gas extraction, which is near the planned Site C hydro-electric dam, to help reduce emissions.
PETRONAS has said it will review the state of the project in the face of low gas prices.
Premier Christy Clark said at Tuesday's announcement that she believes demand in India, Japan and China will eventually make the business case for the project.
When asked about the protesters, Clark said that she believes there is "overwhelming" First Nations support for the project, adding that "governments need to lead."