.. COMMITTEES I To: Mayor and Council May 16, 2001 From: - - PDF document

Risk of Undersea Slides Threaten D(::lla's Foreshore

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THE CORPORATION OF DELTA COMMITTEES

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To: Mayor and Council From: Environmental Advisory Committee File: Subi~ct:

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May 16, 2001 RECOMMENDATIONS: A. That Council express concern to Fraser River Estuary Management Program (FREMP) about the unstable undersea slope on Roberts Bank (Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, Westshore Terminals. and Deltaport Container Terminal); B. That Council receive assurances and accountability guarantees from the Authorities (BC Ferry Corporation and the Vancouver Port Authority) that a subsurface landslide will not affect the ecology Delta's Foreshore lands or result in additional land claims by the Tsawwassen First Nations to the Municipality

• f Delta;

C. That Council receive assurances from the Authorities that the examples of major shore line loss as experienced by Alexandria (Nile Delta) and Baton Rouge (Mississippi Delta) will not be repeated with the Fraser River as a result of a lack of "Due Diligence"; D. That Council ask staff to review the status of all EAC environmental recommendations (as per EAC Annual Report 2000) on Roberts Bank and the Fraser River. PURPOSE: The purpose of this report is to raise awareness

• f outstanding

environmental issues arising from developments

• n Roberts Bank and to initiate discussions

within Delta Council concerning the threats of undersea landslides off Roberts Bank (Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. Westshore Terminals, and Deltaport Container Terminal) (Attachment A). BACKGROUND: Members of the EAC have discussed the activities of the Vancouver Port Authority (VPC), Fraser River Estuary Management Program (FREMP), the Fraser Port Authority (FPA) and the B.C. Ferry Corporation during the past twelve months. These discussions are evidenced by the EAC reports to Council: Roberts Bank Environmental Issues (Received by Council: 05/09/2000) River Road East Area Plan and Fraser Port Authority Draft Land Use Plan (Submitted by the EAC: 04/25/2000) Roberts Bank Environmental Screening Report for POD 3 Expansion (Received by Council: 06/20/2000) FREMP Changes in the Review Process & Delta's FREMP Area Designations (Prepared by the EAC: 03/11/2001 ) The activities of the Port Authorities influence and alter the offshore and foreshore habitats significantly. Delta's

• nly means of input seems to be to attempt to hold these authorities

accountable in a public way. The responses by the Authorities to environmental issues raised by the EAC have been far from satisfactory. The EAC reviewed these in its Annual Report 2000 and many are still outstanding (Attachment B). The recent article in The Vancouver Sun: Geologists Sound Warning of Georgia Strait Tsunami by Scott Simpson. http://www.deltaviews.com/contelltengine/document.asp?

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• Mary J. Tailt
• Chair. Environmental

Advisory Committee ATTACHME NTS: A: Article: Geologists sound Warning of Georgia Strait Tsunami by Scott Simpson, March 7,2001. B: Excerpts from EAC Annual Report 2000 pages 3 to 5.

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THE CORPORATION OF DELTA COMMITTEES To: Mayor and Council . From: Chief Administrative Officer File: Subject: Environmental Advisory Committee Report - Risk of Undersea Slides Threaten Delta's Foreshore

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CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER'S COMMENTS Delta is working with external agencies like Vancouver Port Authority, Fraser River Port Authority and BC Ferries to develop cooperative relationships. In that regard, Delta should request assurances from these external agencies towards the stability of undersea slope not only in Roberts Bank but along the Fraser River adjacent to Delta, especially in the unlikely event of an earthquake. Recommendations B anc C should be revised to "That Council request assurances from BC Ferries, Vancouver Port Authority and the Fraser River Port Authority that ..... I support the Recommendations A through D revised slightly as per the above and I would also suggest an additional Recommendation E as follows:

• E. That Council request an update from the Fraser River Port Authority
• n a previous Council request

regarding dredging practices in the Fraser River, especially the lack of dredging of Canoe Pass. in light of the information contained in this report. Pete Steblin Chief Administrative Officer

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