Editor:
Re: Plenty of reasons for New West residents to oppose TMX, Record opinion, Aug. 2
I agree that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project (TMX) is a significant threat to our beautiful Brunette River conservation area.
It poses other significant, unresolved threats to public health as well. The health impacts of a major diluted bitumen spill in Burrard inlet in Burnaby and Vancouver have not been assessed, including to air quality under hot, summer haze conditions that are increasing with climate change, the massive evacuation of between 25,000 and 105,000 people (Health Canada 2018 estimate) if a major spill brought 2,500 barrels to shore.
Then there is the unassessed risk to New Westminster that the National Energy Board itself reports (Feb. 2019 report p. 220) from a “full-bore rupture into the Fraser River at the Port Mann bridge.”
The Health Officers Council of B.C. has called the health impacts assessment of the project inadequate and have requested that the province conduct an “adequately resourced, independent, comprehensive health impact assessment that includes cumulative impacts of the TMX."
There should be no construction until all these important issues are resolved.
Tim Takaro, New Westminster
