Massive Coal Export Expansion Planned.....

Massive Coal Export Expansion Planned for Texada Island and Port Metro Vancouver

Proposed expansion of port facilities in Surrey and on Texada Island to handle U.S. coal on its way to off-shore markets raises concerns about marine pollution, air quality and a giant carbon footprint that the planet simply can't afford.

Fraser Surrey Docks has applied to Port Metro Vancouver to permit a massive expansion of facilities to transfer U.S. coal shipped by train onto barges bound for Texada Island, and ultimately to overseas markets. The deep-sea port facility on Texada Island has also applied for an expansion permit in order to handle increased coal volumes.

At least two coal trains a day would wind their way through White Rock beaches and through Delta farmland, to be transferred onto barges. On the Texada end, Lafarge proposes to increase the volume of coal handled on the island. According to the Fraser Surrey Docks application with Port Metro Vancouver, the volume of coal shipped to Texada would be at least 7.3 million tonnes/per year, and potentially more - an 18-times increase (at least) of the coal volume currently handled at the Texada facility.

Texada Islanders and Sierra Club Malaspina have serious concerns about Lafarge’s expansion plans.

Sierra Lower Mainland is equally concerned about the impact on residents and agricultural lands in Whiterock, Surrey and Delta. In addition, the proposed project's massive carbon footprint threatens to nullify B.C.'s efforts to reduce global warming emissions.

The Texada proposal forms a vital link in a larger plan to expand capacity at Fraser Surrey Docks and North Vancouver's Neptune Terminals for exporting U.S. thermal coal to offshore markets.

Expansion of the Texada facilities is fundamental because coal from the mainland is barged to Texada, offering the only deep water port in the area that can load ocean-going ships.

Opponents are concerned about increased pollution of the marine environment, health impacts on residents of breathing dust particulates.

Residents are also concerned by Lafarge’s lack of a plan to address airborne coal dust and particulate matter which have been linked to cancer, lung inflammation, and cardio-vascular disease.

Watch Dr. Frank James explain the health impact of coal transport in communities, at the June 26 information meeting in Surrey.

Sierra Club Malaspina echoes the calls of Fraser Health Authority Chief Medical Officer, Dr Paul Van Buynder and Vancouver Coastal Health Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr Patricia Daly, for a comprehensive Health Impact Assessment as well as an Environmental Impact Statement on the effects of airborne coal dust on communities along the entire proposed rail and shipping route.

Further concerns about the proposal include criticisms that Lafarge’s proposed Stormwater Management Plan only allows for one extreme rainfall event every 5 years. The permit application includes no detailed provision for the control of coal dust from barges or on-site coal storage, no explanation whether coal piles will be wetted to control dust and if so, where the water will come from to do this.

“Increasing coal exports through BC ports would facilitate expansion of the coal industry and lead to increased global warming, putting the future of BC communities at risk", said Sierra Club BC campaigner Caitlyn Vernon. “The time is now to phase out our dependence on coal and other fossil fuels and transition to a green energy future.”

A report by the International Energy Agency, “Redrawing the Energy Climate Map”, calls for urgent action now to cut back on coal while we still have a chance to prevent dangerous climate changes. The IEA report calls for a 1.6 per cent reduction in coal production per year until 2035.

Allowing increased coal exports brings us ever closer to locking in runaway global warming and putting our future at risk.

- See more at: http://www.sierraclub.bc.ca/our-work/mining-energy/spotlights/texada-islanders-oppose-coal-export-expansion-plans#sthash.foKJlYgt.dpuf