Port Metro Vancouver's responsibilities shouldn't end at its gates.
That's the message Delta council conveyed to port authority representatives that made a presentation Monday evening at municipal hall.
James Crandles, Port Metro Vancouver's director of planning and development, and chief financial officer Allan Baydala appeared before council to provide an update on a controversial application by Fraser Surrey Docks to handle American thermal coal for export to Asia.
The port, on the south side of the Fraser River near North Delta, Surrey and New Westminster, wants to transfer coal brought in by rail from Wyoming.
That coal would be loaded directly onto barges and towed by tug to Texada Island, where it would be transferred into storage to wait for ocean-going freighters.
Coal would be a new product handled by Fraser Surrey Docks, which is also eyeing a long-term doubling of its coal capacity.
Noting the Fraser Surrey Docks' application is still in the review phase, Crandles said that process is aimed at ensuring an application meets standards and minimizes impacts, including environmental, under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
The chief medical health officers for both Lower Mainland health authorities recently wrote to Port Metro Vancouver with concerns about the coal port expansion plans.
In a joint letter to port authority president and CEO Robin Silvester, Paul Van Buynder with the Fraser Health Authority and Vancouver Coastal Health's Patricia Daly asked for "a formal voice" in a the review process. They noted the port authority is primarily responsible for the impacts of direct port activities, but not the indirect ones, including increased road and rail traffic in surrounding communities.
It was a concern echoed by Delta councillors, who wondered why the review didn't look at cumulative impacts outside the port's jurisdiction.
"One of the things that does concern me is Port Metro's assessment process ends at the yard gate," said Coun. Bruce McDonald.
McDonald, who chairs Delta's environment committee, said the community must deal with the overall project but there is no integrated cumulative assessment.
"Port Metro Vancouver looks at their property, and that's appropriate, and they do an assessment, but the railways don't have to essentially do anything.
Delta is impacted by multiple additions - highways, railways - and it just seems to me that there doesn't appear to be that oversight of integrated, cumulative effects of projects.
"If, for example, Terminal 2 (at Roberts Bank) came about, who does the assessment on how many more rail lines or sitings are needed outside the yard. That's a valid concern for communities because it goes to the heart of quality of life and the ability of communities to survive as pleasant places to live," McDonald added.
Crandles responded the port authority could only control what's under its jurisdiction.
The answer didn't satisfy several councillors, including Jeannie Kanakos, who pointed out the port authority only looks at its own land base, even though its projects have "tentacles" that reach far and wide.
Coun. Scott Hamilton said he's concerned about coal dust from trains that would use the railway near his home, noting it wouldn't be a port issue but a neighbourhood problem.
