As the controversy over a proposed coal terminal in Surrey rages on, Port Moody's Pacific Coast Terminals continues its coal-handling operations barely noticed.
PCT has been shipping coal from Burrard Inlet under a two-year agreement with Teck Resources that is set to expire at the end of 2013. The contract came after a testing phase in 2011 that didn't raise any concerns with Port Metro Vancouver, Metro Vancouver or the city of Port Moody.
"We wanted to make sure we weren't going to be generating any dust from the handling of coal and to make sure we had the ability to clean our systems to go from sulphur to coal and back without causing any cross-contamination," said Ken Catton, PCT's vice-president and general manager.
Since 2011, PCT has handled more than 750,000 tonnes of coal, with no complaints from the community.
"It's because there is no dust," Catton said. "I don't think people even realize we're handling coal."
The proposed Fraser Surrey Docks coal port project would export an additional four million tonnes of coal per year, an increase of less than 10% in the port's overall coal-handling capacity. The coal would come from the northern U.S. via rail and eventually be shipped to Asia.
The proposal has generated significant opposition from Lower Mainland residents and environmental groups, which say the proposed port expansion would increase the amount of coal dust throughout the region, posing a variety of health risks for people and the environment.
New Westminster council has opposed the expansion, noting the thermal coal that would be handled at Fraser Surrey Docks is "highly flammable" and of a "very volatile nature," according to New West Coun. Chuck Puchmayr.
Fraser Surrey Docks would be handling significantly more coal than PoMo's PCT ever has but the lack of concern here could also be due to the type of coal being handled in Port Moody. PCT handles metallurgical coal, which is used to produce steel and is also known as coking coal.
"It doesn't have the same kind of concerns with CO2 emissions such as the coal to be handled at the Surrey docks," Catton said.
The nearly one million tonnes of coal that has passed from rail to PCT docks to ship in the past two years has been with "zero dust," Catton said, adding that while he's not completely familiar with the loading system proposed for the Fraser Surrey Docks, "I know with the system we have, there is no dust generated from our operation."
PoMo Mayor Mike Clay said much the same, noting he would be surprised if anyone in Port Moody was even aware that coal was moving through PCT.
"We've never had a phone call, complaint, email or question about it," Clay said. "We don't have any issues with anything dirty or any dust."
Still, Clay said he's concerned about the proposed handling methods at Fraser Surrey Docks, noting they would be more prone to dust escaping, but suggested much of the opposition over the proposed expansion largely comes from misinformation.
Port Metro Vancouver has the ultimate say on whether the proposed coal terminal at Fraser Surrey Docks goes ahead but local leaders will be considering the air quality issue at Friday's Metro Vancouver board meeting.
Clay said there are four parts to the motion on Metro's agenda - including that the expansion be opposed - and he plans to get more clarity on the reasons behind that opposition before deciding how to vote.
Catton said PCT has no plans to continue handling coal beyond the expiry of its agreement with Teck at the end of this year, and is focusing its efforts on a proposal to expand PCT to handle canola oil and potash.
