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Port has no authority to decide about coal

Port Metro Vancouver, apparently don’t even have the appropriate jurisdiction of responsibility to make an informed, competent decision.

With all due respect to the employees at Port Metro Vancouver and Fraser Surrey Docks, as a concerned British Columbian who resides on the Sunshine Coast, I have one question I would request be answered in relation to the current review process involving the coal terminal expansion proposal.

How is it possible that the entire responsibility in deciding the outcome of this review process and the ultimate permission to proceed with this initiative is borne by Port Metro Vancouver, when Port Metro Vancouver has clearly stated that they have no jurisdiction and no responsibility beyond the mouth of the Fraser River and their own port land facilities?

This fact alone seems to be a basis for what will amount to extraordinary legal challenges and perhaps exhaustive litigation over the real possibility of damages to health, quality of life, land, sea, and air for innumerable communities, neighbourhoods and citizens, owing to an obviously flawed permitting process.

Talk about passing the buck. Forget Fraser Surrey Docks, forget Texada Quarrying Ltd., forget Lafarge, forget Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

There appears to be just one single proponent for this ill-considered scheme and they, Port Metro Vancouver, apparently don’t even have the appropriate jurisdiction of responsibility to make an informed, competent decision that would ensure that the interests of all those potentially affected would be considered adequately.

Perhaps some rethinking of the approval process for this rather large initiative is in order?

 

Alan Morgan, Powell River