Gitxsan hereditary chiefs blocked Highway 16 at New Hazelton, in northern B.C. on Saturday, to protest recent LNG project approvals by the BC Environmental Assessment Office. The chiefs say the projects could collapse the salmon population in the Skeena River if built.
“The Gitxsan people have relied on salmon for thousands of years. The importance of salmon far outweighs any of the financial benefits that are and may be offered in the future for these LNG pipelines,” Spookw hereditary chief Guuhadakwa (Norm Stephens) stated in a release.
“The risk (of LNG) to the salmon is far to great to allow any pipelines to cross our territories and none will. We will not lose the salmon on our watch.”
Photo: ‘Ksan at Skeena‘ by Sam Beebe under the license CC BY 2.0