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Feds give environmental review pass to Ridley Island Export Logistic project in Prince Rupert

The final determination decision concludes the EA process
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Ridley Island Export Logistics Project (RIELP) has received a passing grade in the Federal environmental review process, the Prince Rupert Port Authority announced on March 2.

The final determination that the project is not likely to cause any significant adverse environmental effects is a milestone for the venture, the PRPA stated.

The Fed’s final decision, in accordance with requirements under the Impact Assessment Act (IIA), concludes the environmental review process. The environmental review is a prerequisite for the federal authorities to consider the required permissions for the project to proceed, the port authority stated.

The export logistics undertaking is planned for the south end of Ridley Island, with work anticipated to start early this month with tree clearing and site preparation activities. Once completed, the RIELP will increase efficiencies in export supply chains by creating 400,000 TEUs (Twenty Equipment Units, or 20 ft. containers) of export capacity in the first stage.

The organization said this will maximize value to Canadian exporters while supporting the substantial growth of the intermodal business at the Port of Prince Rupert.

The export logistics complex will be an integrated ecosystem of large-scale bulk and breakbulk transload facilities, intermodal rail yard and a container storage yard. The development will create an innovative and competitive trans-loading facility for commodities such as plastic pellets, cereal grains, specialty agriculture crops, lumber, and pulp to be loaded directly from rail into containers for export, PRPA stated.

“The Ridley Island Export Logistics Project is a vital component of the Port of Prince Rupert’s development plan for fully integrating intermodal activities between terminal, logistics and rail,” a port authority press release reads.

“The environmental benefits of the export logistics project include the densification of transload activities into a single location on Ridley Island to minimize land impacts and proximity to Fairview Container Terminal via the dedicated Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor to minimize container truck movements and emissions while maximizing rail usage on common infrastructure.”

PRPA said it continues to work toward making a final investment decision on the project with its commercial partners, which is expected later in 2023.

READ MORE: Prince Rupert Port Authority Greenwave Program reduced GHG emissions more than 4,785 tonnes in 2022


K-J Millar | Editor and Multimedia Journalist
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