OSLO, Norway — Norway's parliament approved the nation's first petroleum development in the Arctic Barents Sea, despite fierce protests from environmental groups.
The Snoehvit, which means Snow White, natural gas project had the backing of the Labor Party, the Conservatives, the Christian Democrats and the Party of Progress, with a total of 128 seats in the 165-member parliament.
It passed in a 75-25 vote Thursday, with the remaining lawmakers absent or abstaining. The total numbers of votes cast reflected party strengths by agreement between blocs, rather than the total number of lawmakers.
Snoehvit is expected to provide liquefied natural gas for the U.S. and European markets. It's the biggest development project ever proposed for Norway's far north and the first in the waters of the Barents Sea.
The nearly $4.5 billion project would provide badly needed jobs in Finnmark, Norway's northernmost province.
"This is a big day for northern Norway," said Arvid Jensen of the Finnmark Business Forum.
Elin Lerum Boasson, leader of the Nature and Youth group, had the opposite view.
"This is a horror story," she said after a demonstration against the project outside parliament. "The Snoehvit project is the most controversial in Norwegian oil and gas history. We think it is completely irresponsible to open the Barents Sea, which is so vulnerable and valuable, for oil and gas activity."
The project calls for the development of the Snoehvit natural gas field, about 80 miles west of Hammerfest, Norway's northernmost town, by the end of 2006.
The state-controlled oil company Statoil ASA and its project partners also plan a gas liquefaction plant and natural gas power plant on an island near Hammerfest, connected to the field with a pipeline.