The acting leader of the Green Party of British Columbia says the provincial agency that regulates oil and gas projects has been “captured” by special interests and should become an independent agency.

Jeremy Valeriote was reacting to an investigation by The Narwhal and the IJF that found the BC Energy Regulator quietly exempted oil and gas giant Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL) from environmental regulations for more than 4,300 pipelines the company operates across the province.