Dear Editor,
Re: “Pipeline policies for success,” City Scene ad, June 1.
I found this City of Richmond column by Coun. Alexa Loo to misrepresent many of the issues related to the complexity of supplying fuel to YVR. The present unacceptable proposal to getting jet fuel to YVR has been caused by the proponent, VAFFC. In 1989 they were refused a permit by the federal government to transport jet fuel into the Fraser River after a comprehensive review including four days of public hearings. Of course Ms. Loo will not recall of what happened in 1989.
Until Ms. Loo was elected, all Richmond councillors had unanimously opposed jet fuel tankers and a terminal in the heart of the Fraser River estuary. The council decision supports the vast majority of Metro Vancouver citizens who also oppose this threat to the Fraser River and its aquatic life and our safety. When Ms. Loo’s comments are under the Richmond City crest in a taxpayer-paid ad, why would the City and taxpayer allow such an ad, since it does not represent the majority view of our community and council?
Ms. Loo seems to live in denial and lacks concern for public safety, protection of property and the giant salmon runs and wildlife populations in the estuary that would be harmed by any jet fuel spill. The airline consortium’s environmental assessment clearly indicated that we could expect some spills into the river.
Ms. Loo and VAFFC have conveniently ignored what could be a win-win alternative — a pipeline from the BP refinery at Cherry Point directly to YVR. That refinery now supplies at least 60 per cent of YVR’s fuel and is only 70km away. That same large refinery, that gets oil from Alberta, supplies fuel by pipeline to Seattle’s SeaTac and Portland’s airports some 150 and 350 km away.
Dismissing the jet fuel threat to the Fraser River, as created by Air Canada and Westjet and some 30 other YVR airlines, is short sighted. Being worried about more paper work to undo a terrible provincial and Port of Vancouver environmental assessment is irresponsible. The courts have just ruled that the federal and provincial governments should do their own proper assessments. Also just four months ago Madame Justice Dillon in BC Supreme Court admonished VAFFC in that they could have done much more to consult with the public on this jet fuel project.
One should remember that some 40 years ago Richmond City Council approved apartments on Garry Point. Due to their inappropriate consultations, the public took the City to court and the court ruled that the approval was invalid and after further council review and paper work, Council reversed their position and turned Garry Point into a public park that many now enjoy. In addition to being a terrible student of environmental stewardship, Ms. Loo also appears to be a poor student of history.
Otto Langer
President of VAPOR
Fisheries Biologist
Richmond
