Ericka Pizzillo, The Bellingham Herald

The state Department of Ecology will require a more extensive environmental review of the Georgia Strait Crossing Project before granting the permits necessary to build a natural-gas pipeline across Whatcom County and state waters.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved construction of the pipeline in September. But state officials say FERC's review of the project didn't answer all their questions.

If state officials determine the potential for environmental damage from the so-called GSX pipeline is too great, the project may be denied several required state permits, said Barry Wenger, shorelines specialist in the Ecology Department's Bellingham office.

Denial of the permits could derail the project, despite FERC's initial approval.

In its review, the state will consider two alternatives to the pipeline proposed recently by Canadian companies, who say their plans are cheaper, safer and could make the $340 million GSX project unnecessary.

The Georgia Strait pipeline would enter the United States from Canada in Sumas, cross Whatcom County and enter the water near Cherry Point. It would emerge from the water on Vancouver Island, fueling a proposed power plant in Nanaimo, B.C. The project is a joint venture of Williams Pipeline and B.C. Hydro, the province's electrical supplier.

The alternative plans call for sending more gas through an existing natural-gas pipeline that crosses British Columbia waters. The additional gas would either supply the new B.C. Hydro power plant or co-generation turbines proposed at three paper mills on the island.

Both options are being evaluated by the B.C. Utilities Commission, which is now considering B.C Hydro's application for the new power plant.

Wenger said he's still unsure how Ecology Department scientists will determine what environmental effects to use as part of their evaluation of the pipeline project.

Since the project crosses the international border, the state must determine whether to consider the project's effect in both the United States and Canada or just the United States.

"The question is, 'Do we need to look at the Canada impact at all?' " Wenger said.

The review would probably include looking at the project's effect on orcas, the Fraser River salmon run and other sea life that cross into U.S. waters from Canada, since the effects in Canada would have impacts in Washington state, Wenger said.

Ecology officials are now waiting for guidance from state attorneys on how to evaluate the project's overall effect, possibly even considering the proposed power plant, Wenger said.

GSX officials say they won't object to the Ecology Department considering the new alternatives.

"We feel confident about the permitting process and that we will build GSX in an environmentally responsible way," said Hank Henrie, business development representative for the GSX project. "We have addressed the concerns raised by these agencies."

One of the state's major concerns has been settled.

Under the proposal to FERC, GSX officials said they would use a horizontal drilling method on a cliff at Cherry Point to bore a hole about 100 feet below sea level. The pipeline would be threaded through the hole and under state-managed tidelands before coming up into the water and lying along the sea floor.

But if the drilling technique proved unsuccessful, the company wanted to cut a trench for the pipeline, up to 300 feet wide, along the bluff and through the tidelands. Such a project likely would pose a serious threat to sea life.

Ecology officials were going to ask for a full evaluation of the trench project, but GSX has decided against the trench idea.

"We feel the (horizontal drilling) will be successful," Henrie said. "If we don't succeed, we'll try it again."

Canada's National Energy Board has not approved construction of the portion of the GSX pipeline that would run through British Columbia.

Reach Ericka Pizzillo at ericka.pizzillo@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2266.

<< story index | top