VANCOUVER – Proposals for the massive expansion of coal exports out of Port Metro Vancouver (PMV), if approved, would make Metro Vancouver the biggest exporter of coal in North America. Annually, these coal exports would release more global warming pollution than the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline.

In an open letter released today, residents and groups from Canada and the United States call on PMV to delay decision making on these expansion plans, to open them up to broad public review, and to fully consider the global warming implications of this increase in fossil fuel exports.

Signatories to the letter include Bill McKibben, founder of the climate action group 350.org; noted climate scientist James Hansen; the Council of Canadians; Andrew Weaver and Mark Jaccard, both members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; and a broad alliance of health, environmental, clean-energy, faith and community groups working to stop coal exports off the West Coast of North America.

Unlike the extensive public review underway for the Northern Gateway Pipeline application, PMV staff have sole authority to approve these coal export proposals. PMV has indicated that it does not expect to engage in further public consultation on the issue. This is not acceptable.

SFU Professor Mark Jaccard, arrested last May for stopping a BNSF coal train in White Rock, says that allowing these two coal export proposals to go forward will have dangerous implications for our future.  "These plans, if approved, will  increase global GHG emissions and bring us closer to catastrophic, runaway climate change," Jaccard said.

The International Energy Association, the World Meteorological Organization and the UN have all recently issued reports pointing out that GHG emissions continue to rise, that governments are not doing enough to fight climate change, and that opportunities to avoid destabilizing and irreversible climate change are rapidly disappearing.  PMV coal export expansion plans cannot be reconciled with the urgent need to reduce emissions.

"PMV has a mandate to operate with broad public support in the best interests of Canadians," said Kevin Washbrook, Director with Voters Taking Action on Climate Change.  "In fact, these coal export proposals threaten everyone's interests and put our future at risk.  We call on Port Metro Vancouver to open these proposals to a full public review.  We think they will find that there is little, if any, support among Canadians for these radical plans."