Environmentalists are sounding alarms about the health, climate and economic hazards of a proposed coal port on the Fraser River.
On Saturday, volunteers with the Dogwood Initiative visited New Westminster and posted mock warning posters about the risks of Fraser Surrey Docks’ coal transfer facility. In addition to concerns about the new proposal that would allow coal to be loaded from trains onto ocean-going ships at the Surrey site, the group is concerned about the “flawed” public process.
Fraser Surrey Docks has contacted Port Metro Vancouver about changing the direct transfer coal facility project permit that was approved last August. The amendment would allow Fraser Surrey Docks to load coal directly from the facility onto ocean-going vessels, rather than onto barges that would transport the U.S. coal to Texada Island before it’s shipped to Asia.
Fraser Surrey Docks says the proposed amendment would have no impact on the volume of coal (four million metric tonnes per year) permitted to be shipped through the Surrey site annually. Because the coal could be loaded directly onto ocean-going vessels, the company says the proposal would eliminate or reduce the number of barges required at Fraser Surrey Docks.
New Westminster city council recently approved a motion to continue to oppose the Fraser Surrey Docks coal export facility and to voice concerns about the lack of public health analysis, a scientific environmental analysis and an analysis of the global impacts of greenhouses gases associated with the export of thermal coal from Fraser Surrey Docks.
Fraser Surrey Docks notified stakeholders of its plan on May 4 and accepted comments until May 19.
On Saturday, volunteers visited New Westminster “to warn the public about this project and its potential impacts” and inspire them to take action.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr, who addressed Dogwood volunteers on behalf of the city, believes the latest proposal would result in Fraser Surrey Docks becoming a full-fledged coal terminal. He’s troubled that Port Metro Vancouver is allowing a facility for American thermal coal to be located in the heart of the Greater Vancouver Regional District.
“My concern is there is virtually no tangible input that local governments are able to have on this,” he later told the Record. “All our concerns are not being met. It is so contrary to what happens in the U.S.”
Because local and state government have more input into coal port proposals south of the border, Puchmayr said the industry is seeking to use Canadian venues for exporting thermal coal.
“There is no place for thermal coal, there is absolutely no place for it,” he said. “We need to realize we need to go the other way now and reduce greenhouse gases. Burning coal is not the way to do it.”
