No need for comprehensive review of Tantramar gas plant, Liberals say

The Holt Liberal government is signalling that it won’t order a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of a controversial natural gas plant being proposed in Tantramar.

Environment Minister Gilles LePage told the legislature Wednesday he hasn’t been convinced such a review is necessary.

He said the regular process, known as a determination review, will consider all the questions and concerns people have expressed about the 500-megawatt proposed plant.

“To date, until today, there is no element that indicates that a comprehensive review is necessary,” LePage told Tantramar Green MLA Megan Mitton during question period.

"If we find out during the process that it is, we will change our minds."

He said the government was looking at all the questions people have raised about the plant and is “responding to them and ensuring that the proponent mitigates or eliminates their impact.”

N.B. Power has hired U.S.-based ProEnergy to build the plant, which it says will provide backup power for renewable energy elsewhere on the grid, leading to a net reduction of 250,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions overall.

But opponents in the area say that the utility and ProEnergy are downplaying the potential impact on wildlife and wetlands and that emissions could be much higher than claimed.

They have demanded LePage order a comprehensive assessment.

Such an assessment requires a more detailed submission that is subject to “enhanced public, stakeholder and First Nation engagement,” according to the province’s website.

Premier Susan Holt told a group of anti-plant protesters last week that she had “a number of questions about this project the same as you do” and that her government was looking at whether to order a comprehensive assessment.

“Is this eligible for that process? Can we put it through that kind of rigour as per our policies and processes? Are we getting the answers that we need from the proponents and the partners at all?” Holt said, describing those discussions.

LePage said Wednesday the decision was all but made. 

“Until the member across the aisle, citizens or First Nations show us elements [of the project] that justify a comprehensive study, we’ll stick with” the determination review, he said.