The following was published as a letter in Victoria’s Times Colonist newspaper

Re: “B.C. premier visiting China to pitch LNG project as province’s ‘really big fish,’ ” June 27.

While Premier David Eby aggressively promotes liquefied natural gas in Asia, residents in the Kitimat-Terrace airshed live under a real-world Lord of the Rings Barad-dûr. Repeatedly, LNG Canada’s massive flare stack roars and belches thick, black smoke into the air we breathe.

Instead of fixing chronic engineering malfunctions, an emboldened LNG Canada now has the corporate audacity to demand a permit amendment to flare up to 300 tonnes of gas per day — a staggering tenfold increase.

We refuse to let our airshed become a dumping ground. Prolonged flaring releases unmonitored toxins that directly threaten the health of local families.

Premier Eby and the provincial NDP must reject this flaring increase immediately. No Phase 2 approvals should even be considered until LNG Canada proves it can safely operate Phase 1. Public health should never be compromised in a desire to pad corporate and provincial coffers.

Charles Claus

Terrace