Victoria approves major coal terminal expansion on Texada Island

Groups that want a full environmental review of an expansion at a Texada Island coal-handling facility are outraged the B.C. government quietly approved an amended permit without telling local residents or First Nations. The amended permit allows Lafarge to store 800,000 tonnes of coal, double the previous amount. The will enable Lafarge to handle thermal coal from the proposed $15-million Fraser Surrey Docks coal-handling facility. That project, yet to be approved by Port Metro Vancouver, would take four million tonnes of thermal coal annually from the U.S. Midwest, load it on barges and ship it to Texada Island for loading onto large cargo vessels.