WEDNESDAY September 18, 1996 NES aS me Le: Nebbeling pushes to reroute passage of liquified petroleum By Robert Galster Contributing Writer LIBERAL MLA Ted Nebbeling is hot over the potential for hazardous-goods disaster on North Shore rail tracks. Although the issue of trains laden with liquified petroleum gas passing through West Vancouver neighborhoods has been raised before, recently elected West Vancouver- Garibaldi MLA Ted Nebbeling is again taking up the call. _ “This issue has been simmering for a num- ‘ber of months,” said Nebbeling. “There is a concern because it’s like the law of Murphy — so if something can go wrong it will go wrong.” Nebbeling’s concern led him to raise the issue with the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Dan Miller. Miller’s portfolio includes responsibility for BC Rail. But the minister rebuked Nebbeling and told him that the possibility of an accident is unlikely and that no further safety measures need to be implemented. 2 “The minister felt that that was something he * was not going to worry about,” said Nebbeling. Liquified petroleum gas (LPG) is a byprod- uct of processing, natural gas and consists of either butane or propane gas. BC Rail spokesman Colleen Brow said a total of 1,798 cars containing propane or butane passed through the North Shore between January and December 1995, She added that a variety of dangerous goods regu- lations are stringently followed by BC Rail when dealing, with dangerous goods. These include placing the cars containing dangerous goods, including LPG, in the safest possible’ location within the string of cars, “We have government regulations and we have our own strict Operations practices,” said Brow, Harry Benson, a chemical engineer residing, in West Vancouver, has worked in the oil and gas business for 25 years. . “It's (LPG) a product PE know about,” said Benson. Renson first raised the issue of the dangers of transporting the highly volatile gas through populated areas ina letter to West Vancouver council in 1994 and made a pre- sentation to the councillors a short time later. He sees the possibility ofa mishap in West Vancouver as a real one and cautions: that should it ever happen the consequences would be grave. “1 was quite concerned about it because it See Transport page 3 1 t oa IF 7 oat NEWS photo Mike Wakefield WEST Vancouver-Garibaldi MLA Ted Nebbeling's efforts to reroute BC Rail trains carry- ing dangerous cargo away from the North Shore have, to date, been unsuccessful. L £35 WEATHER Tinraday Mittube laity High P7 Cy iow 9 CO. sager Says no to third WV term By Rohert Gatster Contributing Writer WEST Vancouver will have a new mayor and several new faces on council following November’s municipal election. Current mayor Mark Sager announced to a hushed gathering of council spectators at Monday night’s council meeting that he will not seek re-election. Ina short speech at the start of the meeting, Sager did not elabo- rate on his decision and did not reveal any future plans. “I'd just like to say thank you and good luck,” he said. Coun, Rod Day also chose Monday's meeting as the stage for his announcement that he would not be secking re-election. “I's a job that’s had its diffi- cult moments, | won't deny that, but it’s also fun,” said Day, hinting that he'll be back. Earlier this year, Coun. Diana Hurchinson announced that she would not be seeking re-election in November. Sager’s decision leaves. the mayor's seat up for grabs with the likeliest scenario involving Derrick Humphreys and Coun. Pat Boname squaring off in the next mayoral race. : If 83-year-old Humphreys decides to run, it would mark his second attempt at winning a fifth term as West Vancouver mayor. Sager was first elected to public office in 1977 when he won a seat on the West Vancouver school board. In 1982 he was elected school board chairman before suf fering the only setback of his polit- ical career when he lost the provincial Social Credit nomina- tion to Fol Reynolds in 1983. He returned to winning form in 198+ with the first of three terms as West Vancouver District alderman. In 1990 and 1993 he successfully ran for mayor in West Vancouver, On Tuesday, Sager didn’t rule out running again, bur said he was looking forward to building, up his law practice and spending, more time with his family. “[ really like the people, 1 like the work, but it's not my fife. Mim a lawyer and Eve gota funily,” he salad.