GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition
576 Johnson Street
Victoria, BC, V8W 1M3

Media Release

31 May 2002

End-use Emissions Included in Review of GSX Pipeline

Victoria, BC: The Joint Review Panel of the National Energy Board (NEB) and
the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) has ruled today that the
review of the Georgia Strait Crossing (GSX) natural gas pipeline to
Vancouver Island must consider emissions from the combustion of gas at the
generation facility at Duke Point which BC Hydro plans to build. The ruling
rejects arguments by GSX PL Ltd and the provinces of BC and Alberta, who
claimed the Panel has no legal right to assess emissions from the eventual
combustion of the gas that GSX would transport.

Said Thomas Hackney, Director of the GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition, "We
have always claimed GSX is more than just a tube of steel on the ocean
floor. Bringing 2.7 million cubic metres of gas per day to Vancouver Island
would inevitably result in that gas being burned, with a release of 1.8
million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, plus local air
pollution. GSX would commit BC Hydro to meeting most new electricity demand
by burning gas. British Columbians have the right to a full and thorough
review of this before we're irrevocably committed."

The GSX pipeline would run from Sumas, Washington to an interconnect with
Centra Gas's Vancouver Island Pipeline, at Shawnigan Lake. GSX PL Ltd is a
50-50 partnership between BC Hydro and US giant Williams Gas Pipeline
Company.

GSX was proposed in 1999, with a 2002 completion date. GSX is intended to
fuel Vancouver Island Generation Project (VIGP), a 265 MW combined cycle gas
turbine that BC Hydro proposes for Duke Point. It would also fuel the
existing Island Cogeneration Project (ICP) at Campbell River (240 MW) and
future gas-fired electricity plants on Vancouver Island.

The environmental assessment commissioned by GSX PL ignores emissions from
burning the gas GSX would transport. The Province of BC has argued these
emissions would be included in future assessments of individual power
plants; however, GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition and others say a decision
to build GSX would commit BC Hydro to building the plants in advance of any
environmental assessment.

for further information contact:
Thomas Hackney, Director, GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition, (250) 381-4463
Arthur Caldicott, Director, GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition, (250) 743-5551
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