VANCOUVER, BC —  On the heels of a final investment decision by Singapore-based RGE Pte.Ltd on Woodfibre LNG, Wilderness Committee is criticizing the provincial government for its reckless support for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which will damage both the global climate and the public purse.

Carbon pollution from fracking in northeastern British Columbia will increase if Woodfibre LNG is built. Nearly all of the gas from the plant would be produced from fracking wells, which spill methane into the atmosphere.

“While British Columbians are being asked to curb their carbon emissions, this industry gets a free pass to ramp up its pollution,” said Peter McCartney, Wilderness Committee Climate Campaigner. “In the warmest year on record when we have seen a record-low Fraser River sockeye salmon numbers and wildfires drive people from their homes, it’s deeply irresponsible to invest in fossil fuel infrastructure like Woodfibre LNG.”

A report from Oil Change International shows that existing coal, oil and gas production will take the world past two degrees Celsius of global warming, a target the world has committed to remain “well below.” It highlights that no new fossil fuel infrastructure can be built.

Meanwhile, today’s announcement was only made possible by the government setting up a subsidized power rate for the plant and huge taxation breaks for the LNG industry.

“The Province has sold out the public purse in a desperate attempt to save face from its disastrous bet on their pet industry,” said McCartney.  “We’re getting fleeced.

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For more information & interview requests, please contact:

Peter McCartney | Climate Campaigner, Wilderness Committee
778-239-1935, peter@wildernesscommittee.org