THE VOIC

News 985-2131

March 9, 1986

Your Number One
Suburban Newspaper

WEST VANCOUVER

Classified 986-6222 Circulation 986-1337 48 pages 25¢

Onla

THE REROUTING of toxic chemical anhydrous ammonia
through North Vancouver has been put on hold, the
Railway Transport Committee (RTC) said Thursday.

But at hearings on the subject of
transporting dangerous corm-
modities, officials heard that 330
carloads of liquid petroleum gas
they didn’t know about have been
transported through North Van-
couver since the beginning of
January.

In making its summation on
alternatives to transporting dan-
gerous goods through Canadian
Pacific Railway’s (CPR)
downtown Vancouver dock, the
RTC said there was not enough in-
formation available to justify the

DURING annual testing of equipment, firefighter Andy Schinidt of the North Vancouver C i r e test Sour-inc :
releases a pressure of 1.750 k.p.h. or 250 pounds. Testing of these supply hoses is vital Co the efficient operation of, an effective local firefighting service.

rerouting of anhydrous ammonia
through North Vancouver.
A Canadian National Railway

(CNR) recommendation to the
RTC asked it to give full con-
sideration to North Vancouver
handling Vancouver's 100 annual
carloads of anhydrous ammonia, a
highly toxic commodity.

But because CNR, which comes
under federal jurisciction, would

A

y

have to transfer its cargo to B.C.
Rail in North Vancouver and onto
a Seaspan barge, which comes
under provincial jurisdiction, the
RTC said it was not prepared to
reroute the goods without further
consideration.

The RTC also heard from the
Propane Gas Association of
Canada that shippers have
rerouted 330 of 800 carloads of li-
quid petroleum gas that was being
transported through Vancouver to
now pass through North Van-
couver.

The cargo was split as of
January, with 470 annual carloads
being transported through Alberta,
and 330 annual carloads through

_ Taylor,

B.C., the fatter passing
through North Vancouver on
route.

At present, B.C. Rail and CNR
transport 344 carloads of liquid
petroleum through North Van-
couver to Cherry Point,
Washington every year. The addi-
tional carloads make the total 674
carloads annually.

Speaking on the movement of
liquid petroleum, district Mayor
Marilyn Baker, who attended the
RTC hearings with North Van-
couver City Mayor Jack Loucks,
said: ‘‘We will be in discussion
with the province, the railways and
the barge companies to determine
the implications of moving cars

from Taylor B.C. down through
North Vancouver."’

She said alternatives may be to
route the cargo through Squamish,
where it could be barged out at a
dock owned by a private company,
FMC Chemicals.

Or it could be barged out at the
Seaspan slip at the foot of
Pemberton, which would avoid
carriage through North Van-
couver.

“Ic will depend on the cost and
suitability,"’ Baker said. ‘*We'll
have to inquire inte how many ad-
ditional tanks are anticipated to
come out on BCR and on the addi-
tional traffic running through
North Vancouver.’’

~ NEWS photo ian ‘Smitty

¥ Fire Department pressure tests a giant four-ineh hose rear Pioneer Grain Terminals. The hose