Tofino hears from coal mine opponent
The environmental assessment process for the proposed Raven Coal Mine on Vancouver Island has not included the community of Tofino but it should, according Stacey Gaiga, president of Coal Free Alberni.
Gaiga was the guest speaker at the June 22 Green Breakfast meeting in Tofino. The Raven Coal Mine is a proposed underground coal mine about five kilometers from Fanny Bay on the east side of Vancouver Island.
Along with the mine, a proposal for an 80,000 tonne coal storage facility is also in the works for Port Alberni. Concerns for the West Coast of the island stem from the transportation plans, said Gaiga.
"Right now for transportation what they are planning on doing is trucking the coal from the location above Fanny Bay down Highway 19 through Highway 4 to Port Alberni." The coal would be transported on double B-train trucks, and there would be up to a minimum of 54,000 trucks on the highway per year, Gaiga said.
"It's equivalent to about four double B-train trucks an hour across that highway," said Gaiga. "That is an excessive amount of oversized overweight traffic." The current public comment period is open until June 27. All comments will be taken into consideration for the next Draft Application Information Requirement and Environmental Impact Statement.
There is currently no time line for this proposal, but Gaiga guessed it may take another year before the next public comment period is open. "It's really important that as many people as possible write in," stressed Gaiga.
She said the coal mine would have a social economic impact on Tofino tourism. "People can just say they don't want this coal mine happening because they don't want this coal transportation plan to affect their social economic tourism based community," Gaiga said.
"We're absolutely 100 per cent against this and the company knows that. The Port Alberni and District Labour Council has stated very clearly they're not interested," Gaiga said. "They're not welcome in Port Alberni."
At the June 14 Tofino council meeting, Coun. Stephen Ashton requested council support Tofino's inclusion in the consultation process as a regional study area. Council passed the motion and a letter was submitted on behalf of the district.
"That's huge," Gaiga said. "The more political leaders that we get from different communities stating they would like to have a full expert panel review with public hearings and mapping of the watershed the better. That's incredible.
Long Beach Vancouver Island - News
The environmental assessment process for the proposed Raven Coal Mine on Vancouver Island has not included the community of Tofino but it should, according Stacey Gaiga, president of Coal Free Alberni. Gaiga was the guest speaker at the June 22 Green
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Another consistent theme throughout the meeting was a resounding call for a full independent review panel, and for more public meetings in impacted communities like Denman Island and Qualicum Beach. Over 22 environmental, community,
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