Vancouver should not become a way station for fossil fuel storage and transport. If the Tesoro-Savage joint venture is realized, Vancouver’s neighborhoods, schools, downtown, and much-lauded waterfront plans will be overshadowed by an oil terminal that will emit hundreds of tons of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, per year. These compounds, which include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, are associated with cancers, blood disorders, birth defects and damage to the nervous system.
Vancouver citizens will also see an increase in smog. The chemical reaction between VOCs and nitrogen oxides from diesel-fueled train engines, trucks, and equipment creates ground-level ozone, a component of smog. In addition, the higher surface temperatures in our region due to climate change will exacerbate this smog production. Smog-related health risks include damage to mucous plus respiratory tissues, premature deaths, heart attacks, and other cardiopulmonary problems.
Expert testimonials during the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council’s hearings have cast doubt on estimates by Tesoro-Savage of toxic emissions and air pollution from the oil terminal. The health and well-being of Vancouver citizens will be jeopardized if this terminal is built.
