Coal concerns
Having gone to a meeting in Powell River on the Texada Island coal storage topic, it’s hard to understand the focus of the few jobs offered [“Coal export expansion proposal kicks up dust,” August 28].
The coal is shipped by train from Montana and Wyoming, off-loaded onto barges on the Fraser River that are towed to Texada. It’s coming to Canada because there is too much opposition to these shipments in the United States. These barges will cross salmon channels. Coal dust is linked to decreased herring numbers and salmon can’t breathe in coal dust water. This will impact orcas also.
The coal will be washed to reduce dust but where does this water eventually go and what is the coal being washed with?
The coal is stored on Texada waiting to be loaded onto the largest Panamax and Cape Class ships bound for China and India. What will this do to tourism, especially if one of them sinks?
The coal will be burned in Asia and the coal smoke will contribute to global warming, while pollution travels toward Canada.
Please look at the big picture here.
Lois Goodman
Manson Avenue
Bigger issue
As Nicholas Simons says, the federal and provincial governments have unfairly made coal exports a divisive local issue, when the decision and lead must come at senior government levels [“Coal export expansion proposal kicks up dust,” August 28].
The plan for Texada Island is linked to building of coal facilities on the Fraser River and the wider issue of exports through West Coast ports, both in Canada and the United States. Few in BC care about Texada, however the coal issue has international ramifications, so Texada, its Powell River Regional District director and Lafarge Canada Ltd. are dragged into something much bigger. Even if approval is given in BC, is Washington State going to allow coal trains to pass through?
President Barack Obama is stalling approval of the Keystone pipeline. He is linking approval with carbon dioxide emissions. Washington and Oregon are resisting approval of allied coal terminals. Prime Minister Stephen Harper would be unwise to approve the Fraser facility when Keystone is blocked and how can the ministry of energy and mines approve the Texada expansion given the interlinked situation? Plus, as we all know, the coal trains would go through Surrey/Delta, the BC Liberal heartland where elected politicians are opposed.
Not often mentioned is the threat and cost of rising sea levels. Vancouver is in the top 20 cities worldwide most at risk. The cost of defensive measures would be immense.
So things are bigger than Lafarge and its meeting and the pulling down of posters on Texada. The ministry must be anxious for a delay while things are settled elsewhere.
Governments in the US and Canada must take a hard and considered look at thermal coal exports through West Coast ports and establish a consistent policy thereto.
Richard Fletcher
Gillies Bay, Texada Island
Smart meters?
I have lived in my home over 40 years. My old meter was in the home when I moved in and it was maintenance free.
I had only had the smart meter a few months when BC Hydro had to replace it [“Wanted: stupid safe meters,” July 24].
My questions are how many more has hydro had to replace and where did the meters come from?
The irony is meter readers lost their jobs. How long are these meters going to last? I don’t call this smart thinking financially.
Gloria Riley
Marine Avenue
Coal export expansion
I am a concerned citizen of the impact of the coal export expansion [“Coal export expansion proposal kicks up dust,” August 28].
We are in the tourism business and live at Lang Bay opposite Texada Island. We have owned our resort for 28 years and in the last few years have noticed an increase of coal dust sediment showing presence on the Lang Bay beach. This is where marine life should thrive and children play.
I grew up in South Wales surrounded by coal dust and know what the beaches used to look like and this is what our local beach is beginning to look like. A gradual build up of coal dust is detrimental to all forms of marine life and stockpiling American coal to export to China is certainly adding fuel to the fire for world pollution and global warming.
We are not happy with this permit for an expansion of coal export from such an ecologically sensitive marine area such as Desolation Sound and the Sunshine Coast.
Elaine Thoma
Highway 101
Region moves riding
After reading that we are headed to join Vancouver Island North, I cannot express the whys and wherefores of why this should or should not happen [“Region moves across the water to join expanded riding,” August 28]. However, it will be hysterical if Vancouver Island becomes another province as it has suggested and Powell River becomes part of that province due to the electoral boundaries.
Elaine Thoma
Highway 101
Levels beyond acceptable
Our Squatters Creek was destroyed by our city fathers with our garbage [“Concerns about airport landfill bubble to the surface,” October 24, 2012]. The new city hall fathers are trying to find a solution for the ash and garbage mess that we are in with Myrtle Creek. Thirty metres vertical above Myrtle Creek at the airport we have 20 years of ash from our incinerator plus garbage.
To make a safe future for Gino Devito’s salmon and the neighbours’ water supply, it will have to be removed.
Ash tests completed in 1995 showed levels of copper to be 1,080 micrograms per gram (mcg/g), acceptable standard 63 mcg/g; lead 2,410 mcg/g, acceptable standard 70 mcg/g; and zinc 19,000 mcg/g, acceptable standard 200 mcg/g.
Jack Dice and Herb Gawley
Butedale Avenue and Padgett Road
