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Coal forum set for Nov. 1

ENVIRONMENT

The Salish Sea Coal Committee (SSCC) is hosting a community information forum next weekend on coal barging in the Salish Sea.

Coal Hard Facts 2: Kick the Coal Habit will be held Saturday, Nov. 1 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Sechelt Indian Band Hall.

Speakers will include Sechelt Nation Chief Calvin Craigan, Powell River – Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons, environmental lawyer Anna Johnston, retired Department of Fisheries and Oceans officer Otto Langer and Laura Benson of Dogwood Initiative’s Beyond Coal.

SSCC was formed as a result of the first Coal Hard Facts forum last year and spokeswoman Lynn Chapman said the coming forum will again provide an opportunity for people to get directly involved.

“We hope there’ll be people in the community who want to participate in the local action group,” Chapman said. SSCC currently has about 25 members, with about half on the steering group.

In August, Port Metro Vancouver approved a transfer facility for U.S. thermal coal that is expected to begin operating next year, utilizing two barges per day to ship coal to Texada Island, where it will be transferred to cargo vessels for export to Asia.

The approval was granted over strong objections by SSCC, Sechelt Nation, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), Simons and local health authorities, who called for public consultation along the barge route and studies of environmental and health risks.

Chapman said the committee was especially pleased that Craigan agreed to speak at the forum.

“One of our goals is to work with the Sechelt Nation on this issue and support them by sharing information,” she said.

She also praised the leadership of the SCRD for sponsoring a resolution adopted at last month’s Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, calling for the province to conduct health and environmental impact assessments and to name an agency that will monitor shipments.

As with LNG, the province’s position on thermal coal shows a “lack of forward-thinking energy policy,” Chapman said.

“We’re looking backwards and pretending it’s our future, and it can’t be our future.”