The British Columbia government has confirmed that a decade-old environmental assessment certificate is still valid for the construction of a natural gas pipeline in northern B.C. This decision has sparked opposition from the province's Green Party and various environmental groups. The Environmental Assessment Office stated that the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline has "substantially started," which meets a requirement of the 2014 certificate. This ruling allows the project to move forward without undergoing a new environmental assessment.

The original approval was granted for a pipeline stretching approximately 900 kilometers from Hudson's Hope in northeastern B.C. to Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert. The site was initially intended for a liquefied natural gas processing facility, which has since been canceled. Last year, the pipeline was acquired by the Nisga'a Nation and Texas-based Western LNG, aiming to supply natural gas to the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG facility, which is still under environmental assessment.

The B.C. government is also reviewing requests from the project proponent to modify the pipeline route. This includes changing the endpoint to the Ksi Lisims facility and rerouting the eastern section of the pipeline. The B.C. Greens criticized the decision, labeling it as "reckless" and claiming it prioritizes the interests of American financial backers over Indigenous rights and environmental protection.

"It's outrageous that the government is allowing construction to proceed with no approved terminus, using an outdated plan, and threatening one of the province’s most sensitive salmon habitats, all to serve the interests of foreign-owned fossil fuel companies," said Jeremy Valeriote, interim leader of the B.C. Greens. He further described the decision as a betrayal of environmental stewardship and Indigenous rights, posing a threat to sustained climate action in the province.

The pipeline project is partly funded by the U.S. private equity firm Blackstone, which the Greens have criticized for its connections to major Republican donors, including ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump. Additionally, the U.S. engineering and construction company Bechtel has been selected to build the pipeline.

Western LNG hailed the ruling as a "significant milestone in the path toward delivering responsible, Indigenous-led energy infrastructure" in B.C. Eva Clayton, president of the Nisga'a Lisims Government, stated that the ruling represents an important step for both the pipeline and the Nisga'a Nation's vision of self-determination and long-term prosperity.

However, the project faces opposition from the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation and Ts’msyen hereditary chiefs, who assert jurisdiction over Pearse Island, the proposed site for the Ksi Lisims terminal. Concerns have also been raised by Gitanyow hereditary chiefs regarding the impact on salmon populations in the Nass River.

The Environmental Assessment Office began its review last November to determine if the project had been "substantially started" within the 10-year deadline. The review included a field assessment, documentation from the pipeline proponent, and input from First Nations, Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, Gitxsan Wilps, and the public. The office concluded that the condition was met, allowing construction to proceed.

The B.C. Greens noted that construction activities had already begun last summer on a section of the pipeline's right-of-way to prevent the expiration of the original permit. Environmental groups have condemned the decision to uphold the decade-old certificate, calling it a "slap in the face" to B.C.'s climate plan. This decision comes on the heels of a climate accountability report indicating that the province is on track to miss its climate targets.