Editor:
The pro-coal exporters, along with Port Metro Vancouver, would have us all believe that thermal coal is as safe to handle as its metallurgical coal cousin. I think not! The metallurgical coal historically mined along the Rock Mountain border between B.C. and Alberta is a clean burning, low sulphur product used primarily in the steel industry. Metallurgical coal does not present a major pollution problem and can be considered a low-emission, clean-burning product when treated with high efficiency scrubbers and preceptors as typically used in today's modern steel industry.
Thermal coal is a different animal. The U.S. thermal coal proposal from Fraser Surrey Docks is a highly polluting product for primary use in coal-fired power generation plants.
Transporting this product through Canada would expose us all to the accumulative toxic dust from shipping via rail, barge and storing in stockpiles at Fraser Surrey Docks on the Fraser River and on Texada Island.
Babies and the elderly are the most vulnerable to terminal respiratory illnesses.
Unless we are a Third World country, Canada has no business shipping this carcinogenic product to Asia. No port in the U.S. will allow the export of thermal coal so the American coal industry looks to Canada as its wildcat exporter.
Port Metro Vancouver has no problem with it and is eager to oblige.
We already know the facts about this material and the carcinogenic effects from both transporting and burning it for the power generating industry.
The citizens of Delta, Greater Vancouver and the global community need to take action to stop the madness.
Our elected officials at all levels of government need to get involved and stop this proposal before the port applies its rubber stamp of approval. Since Port Metro Vancouver is federally-regulated authority, be sure to ask your member of Parliament to get involved.
Wake up, people, before it's too late. Our children and our grandchildren are depending on us.
Don Paulsen
