The proponent of a jet fuel delivery project for Vancouver International Airport is holding a second public information session after a major windstorm disrupted its initial session two weekends ago.
The Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation (VAFFC), a consortium of airlines, plans to build a tank farm on the south arm of the Fraser River as well as a pipeline through east Richmond, connecting to the airport.
Ground preparation will commence as early as this year, with the facility’s completion scheduled for early 2018.
The session is intended to provide up-to-date information on some of the technicalities of the project, which received a provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate in December 2013.
The facility will be situated on a 13.5-acre site, not a 12 acre site as previously communicated to the public. The 15-kilometre pipeline will be moved slightly, off Port Metro Vancouver land to the north to Savage Road, before it reaches Francis Road and eventually runs up Highway 99 to the Bridgeport area and then across to the airport.
Furthermore, the pipeline will be 35 centimetres in diameter, up by five centimetres from the initial VAFFC report, in order to provide lower power consumption and operating pressures at the six-tank facility.
The 14.5-metre high tanks (21 metres above sea level) will have a combined working capacity for 80 million litres and two more tanks could be added in the future. Barges to Panamax-class tankers will deliver the fuel.
The session will spell out a number of steps VAFFC will be taking to ensure the facility is properly protected against fire and spills. For instance, the system is designed to accommodate Richmond Fire Rescue operations and fire risk assessments were based on the 2010 National Fire Code of Canada.
VAFFC notes a leak detection system, emergency shutdown alarms and containment pools are part of a comprehensive emergency response plan.
The seismic performance target is a one in 2,475-year earthquake.
The corporation presently delivers fuel to the airport via the Trans Mountain pipeline from Burnaby and tanker trucks from Cherry Point Refinery. It has stated the new facility will meet the growing demands of the airport and also provide for cheaper offshore product.
Presently, 1,000 truck deliveries occur monthly, according to VAFFC. It states that a new daily flight from Asia would require about 65 more trucks each month.
Critics of the facility, such as the grassroots environmental group VAPOR, have charged that other methods of fuel delivery were available, such as expanding the existing pipeline or building a new pipeline from Cherry Point.
Critics charge VAFFC of only looking at the cheapest option to get refined fuel from overseas, as well as building the facility next to a residential and commercial area that could be put in harms way (there is no information from VAFFC on what a worse case scenario would look like). They contend even small spills will harm the river.
The information session is to take place Sept. 17 from 4-7 p.m. at the East Richmond Community Hall at 12360 Cambie Rd. Questions and comments are encouraged via email, as well ([email protected]).
All presented material is online at vancouverairportfuel.ca.
