1 ‘ 4 ! ‘ ‘ 1 SAN at er ae ot POLAT ne Te EPMO DUE NE RATEREE I” Cae TO teat SNARE geese Ser etme nen yee pene en tp AANA BI LARD ILE ma rrmearmnenieTne st TH 2 TNT A RT ot ca mee, wee 9 ~ Friday, March 7, 1986 - North Shore News North Van preferred for noxious chemical route From Page 1 simply not rational." Spokesman Sheila Gordon of the CHAC, a public awareness group on toxic commodities, said the Port of Vancouver’s master plan on dangerous goods is to remove all commodities being fransported through the inner har- or. But she said the rerouting of anhydrous ammonia to North Vancouver, where the goods are then sent by barge through the harbor, would contradict that plan. “It seems like the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing,’? Gordon said. ‘‘If the Port authorities want to remove dangerous goods from the inner harbor, then the railway authorities _ better change their plans.”’ . . GRANAM REID Gordon said the RTC says if the goods went through North Van- couver, it would be.as an interim plan, but she added: ‘fYou and I both know interim plans become written in stone.” ICBC vice-president Graham Reid spoke on behalf of. the cor- poration, saying a longterm plan for the moving of dangerous goods should be established, but. ‘‘that plan should contemplate the removal of dangerous commodities from proximity to populated area, not the addition of new risk as is proposed by. shipping anhydrous ammonia through the Seaspan dock in North Vancouver.” Reid told the committee ICBC established emergency procedures for its employees when it moved into the area. But he said Lonsdale Quay will attract many merchants, residents and visitors who will not have the same evacuation training. “Quite apart from any risk of: fire or explosion, anhydrous am- monia’ presents a serious health hazard to anyone who comes into contact with it. The fumes, if in- haled, can cause suffocation, and on contact with skin and eyes can cause severe and permanent dam- age,’’ Reid said. In its September, 1985 report, the RTC stated: ‘‘Anhydrous am- monia and sulphur dioxide, being poisonous gases, may not require unusual conditions to be a threat to human life, even at some distance from an accident site, should an accident result in their release.”’ CN manager of public affairs Al Menard told the News the transporting ‘of anhydrous am- monia through North Vancouver is more direct, more efficient and causes less handling than other routes. “Tt’s an advantage if it goes on our line all the way to the B.C. Rail interchange,’’ Menard said. “It’s more practical. It’s the preferred short-term plan.” Menard explained that to ship anhydrous ammonia to Victoria, the cars could travel from CN in Surrey through to North Van- couver via the Second Narrows rail - tracks and be transported to B.C. Rail and the Seaspan barge. But the other alternative he said, would be to transport the goods from CN to CP to Burlington Northern (BN) at Campbell Street “We don’t think it would create much difference for residents," Menard said. Menard said the CN yard's safe- J A C K §S O N and onto a barge. “We say this (the North Van- couver route) is a better way than going to BN. There's less handling. P E T E R ty record ‘‘isn’t that bad,’’ con- sidering it services two grain elevators, Neptune Terminal and B.C. Rail traffic. Menard added that safety is foremost, and emergency response plans are in place. ‘‘It works reasonably well.” PER 25 PACK’ FE PER ZO PACK PREMIUM QUALITY. PREMIUM VALUE. *Your retailer's regular price WARNING: Health and Welfare Canada advises that danger to health increases with amount smoked ~ avoid inhaling. Average per cigarette: Peter Jackson: 16 mg “tar'’, 1.2 mg nicotine. Peter Jackson Extra Light: 7 mg “‘tar’’, 0.7 mg nicotine.