In the debate over the proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver, the opponents have rightly raised concerns about safety, environmental damage and oil train conflicts with Vancouver’s riverfront development. Along with these arguments, it is important to also understand that the port has options.
If the oil terminal proposal does not move forward, due to lack of state approval or other reason, the port will still have the space and the staff can market it for various processing and transshipping purposes. This is 42 acres of prime port real estate with access to ocean, rail and highway transport. With the completion of its West Vancouver Rail Access Project (47 miles of sophisticated rail-processing capacity within port boundaries), the port will be positioned to offer to businesses state-of-the-art transshipping access for a range of products, materials and commodities.
The port’s argument in favor of the oil terminal is that it would bring jobs, taxes and port revenue. The other uses would provide these benefits as well, likely with less of the negative safety, environmental and quality-of-life concerns that the oil terminal presents.
The Port of Vancouver can and should do better for itself and for this community than the oil terminal.
