Chris Massop, Alberni Valley Times, July 25, 2011

A lot of voices recently about coal - the pros and cons, the yes and the no and a lot of people just don't care (the very typical apathetic norm).

Once we step into this we're not going to wash it away with a garden hose. Environmental risks are not uncommon in many communities, but are the adverse effects of new industrial activity so close to one of our main tourist areas worth it?

No doubt a little amount of money will filter into our town's local economy. We must compare that with the inevitable threat of coal dust carried by the wind and consequently into the air spread around town. Coal dust is detrimental to our health. The impacts may not be experienced or realized for 10 or 20 years into the future. Nobody can conclusively deny that coal dust will not be a factor and the uncertainty of influencing air quality.

Yes, we need jobs. I'm not completely against coal, it is more about against the location in our town and the perceptions it will have.

This is a game-changer, Port Alberni. Get it right.

Chris Massop
Port Alberni

© Alberni Valley Times 2011

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