BC protest groups ready to fire up coal station challenge in court

Vancouver: Anti-coal protesters in British Columbia are preparing for a federal court challenge against an approved coal station at Fraser Surrey Docks (FSD), part of Port Metro Vancouver (PMV), according to the Vancouver Sun.

With a court date of March 25 the coalition of environmental and local concern groups will argue that PMV approved the station before public consultation, making later public forums lip service.

Karen Campbell, attorney with Ecojustice, said the plaintiffs have “no confidence health concerns being raised by the public are being adequately acknowledged by the port.”

The FSD facility would transfer the coal from rail cars onto barges for carrying to Texada Island to be dumped in open piles before being shipped to Asia. It would mean an extra daily train of US-mined coal arriving at FSD and increase the port’s coal export capacity by 4m tonnes per year.

Activists are concerned about damage to the air and water quality in the locality.