This presentation has a number of graphics which show the details of where the expected increase in tanker traffic is to come from on the NW Pacific Coast:
Oil transportation and spill risk in Washington State
Below are a few exampleds of the slides form that site:
A major concern here in Metchosin is the incremental increase in Ship Traffic projected in the next few years. This reference shows the added impact from the Pacific Gateway Terminal Development.
Reference:Gateway Pacific Terminal Vessel Traffic Assessment
In April, 2014 I attended the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference in Seattle. One of the presentations which surprized me showed the risk to the Southern resident Killer Whale populations from Noise Imapcts in the Salish Sra under Commercial shipping growth Scenarios. Following is a reference to Beam Reach which carries a summary presentation of this. — Scott Veirs, Beam Reach Marine Science & Sustainability; Val Veirs, Colorado College; Jason Wood, Sea Mammal Research Unit
Emazing talk on fossil fuel ship noise & killer whalesThis afternoon I’m giving a talk at the 2014 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference in which I present our estimates of sound pressure levels from commercial ships in Haro Strait, the core of the summertime critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whales. I also take a first look at noise impacts of the current tanker and bulk carrier fleets and ask how those impacts may change if a suite of proposed fossil fuel export facilities are added to the Salish Sea.
– See more at: http://www.beamreach.org/2014/04/30/emaze-talk-fossil-fuel-ship-noise-killer-whales
This organization has assisted in the production of several studies on Oil Spill Issues which affect Juan de Fuca Strait and the Salish Sea.
http://www.psp.wa.gov/oilspills.php
The 2009 Washington State Legislature directed the Puget Sound Partnership to provide independent advice and assessment of Washington State’s oil spill programs and make recommendations for any necessary improvements. In late summer 2010 the Partnership assembled a Cross-Partnership Oil Spill Work Group to help assist the Leadership Council carry out this responsibility.
The 2012 Action Agenda outlines the priorities identified by the Work Group in May 2011. Since then the Partnership has promoted activites that concentrate on:
Dr. J.Rene van Doop and Dr. Jason R.W. Merrick developed a vessel traffic movement baseline based on 2010 data and used that to model predictions for the future given the following projected inceases per year in Tanker Traffic:
487 gateway Bulk Carriers
348 Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion (Kinder Morgan)
348 Delta Port Carriers
67 Delta Port Container Ships +Bunkering Barges
1250= Total projected increase per year
From the National Energy Board we can find out what is in Dilbit and what precautions we need when it lands on the shores of Metchosin.
You can see the original in this link : or as copied in the images below:
ALSO: The following link gives the Occupational and Health Guidelines for Benzene, a Potential Human Carcinogen
Along the shoreline of Metchosin and underwater we have ecosystems which are at risk of being heavily impacted in the event of an impending oil spill catastrophe given all the proposed projects which will increase ship traffic to unacceptable levels in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The presentation by Garry Fletcher linked here was done on the evening of October 23rd, 2014 at the Metchosin Community Hall organized by Karyn Woodland and the local Dogwood Initiative Group. ( NOTE: comments are included under the images and all images are copyright of the photographers who took them, John Harper(GeoBC); the ecoguardians at Race Rocks: Ryan Murphy, Raisa Mirza, Alex Fletcher, Anne Stewart, Adam Harding, Mike Robinson and Courtenay Edwards, and myself. The graphics from the first part on Oil Spill Risk are from posts of Nov.4 on Oil Spill Risks
Link to a description of the three presentations to the Town hall meeting by Kai Nagata of the Dogwood Initiative, Andrew Weaver, Green Party MLA for Oak Bay and Intervenor in the Kinder Morgan hearings, and Garry Fletcher, Intervenor for the Board of Friends of Ecological Reserves in the Kinder-Morgan / Trans Mountain Expansion project hearings. 
This letter went out from Karyn Woodland to Dogwood Supporters:
Thursday’s Town Hall on Kinder Morgan was a great success. Presentations (to a full house) were informative and thought-provoking, and the questions from the audience further illuminated the issues. Moderator Jackie Larkin expertly kept the event equitable and flowing. At the close of the evening photographer Bev Hall presented the panel with gifts of local scenery cards … and we acknowledged Terry Dance Bennink’s calm and strong shepherding of her Dogwood flock. Green Party (Oak Bay/Gordon Head) MLA Andrew Weaver praised Dogwood for their focused, non-partisan work on behalf of ‘ordinary citizens’
SPEAKERS: Garry Fletcher, Andrew Weaver, Kai Nagata
A huge thank you to our excellent speakers: Garry illustrated, with stunning photographs, what we have to lose; Andrew gave a candid account of how the NEB hearing process is flawed; Kai (27 years young!) emphasized the significance of municipal governments in environmental stewardship.
A FEW KEY POINTS FROM THE DISCUSSION
• Climatologist Andrew Weaver said coal – the burning of which constitutes 50% of greenhouse gas emissions – is the culprit when it comes to ‘climate crisis.’
• The greatest risk from oil tanker traffic is a spill which will decimate the marine environment and create havoc for humans (unknown health impacts, job loss from industries like tourism and recreation, agricultural loss, property value decline…); despite the glitzy ads to the contrary form Trans Mountain.
• We all held our breath while the Russian ship Simushir, carrying 400 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of diesel fuel, drifted off the coast of Haida Gwai. Veteran West Coast Mariner, Brian Falconer, maintains the coast guard underestimated the risk: “…they’re setting up a false sense that we can actually do something about an oil spill. The reality is we won’t be able to do anything” (TC, Oct 22, p A5). The tankers carrying bitumen will be far larger than Simushir. (As I write, a 134′ barge carrying 3,600 l of diesel fuel is adrift in the Beaufort Sea …)
• Dilbit is already being shipped past our shores with ‘temporary’ permits.
• Christy Clark says she has five conditions before approving pipeline expansion (http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/07/statement-by-premier-christy-clark.html). Andrew Weaver says – implement those conditions now.
• Andrew also noted that, on Wednesday of this week, Christy Clark’s gov’t dismantled large portions of the climate legislation enacted by Gordon Campbell’s gov’t; an action with huge implications which went unnoticed because of events on Parliament Hill.
MUNICIPAL MATTERS
• Good to see the following candidates in attendance at the Metchosin Town Hall: Moralea Milne (incumbent Councillor, who initiated the first motion opposing increased tanker traffic in 2012); Andy MacKinnon, Anne Richmond. (Apologies received from: Chris Moehr, Kyara Kahakawila; Bob Gramigma was at a Council related meeting).
• Municipal candidates responses to the Dogwood survey are now posted: http://www.localvote2014.ca/
• Municipal mayors/councillors/candidates may say, “It’s not my jurisdiction,” but Kai Nagata pointed out
Municipal Mayors and Councils have a great deal of influence – if they choose to use it.
We, the voters, must support those brave enough to take a stand.
(e.g., Andrew Weaver is pushing for a complete ban on heavy oil tankers in BC waters – municipal councils could get behind him on this initiative)
• Municipal Councils – backed by the citizens they represent – are perhaps the “last bastion” to stop the massive giveaway of public resources to large corporations.
RAVEN
• Donations to Raven – a Trust for 1st Nations Legal Defense, totalled $170; thanks to Allison’s generous initiative. (And we had not even thought to collect donations, as evidenced by our blue recycling bin ‘collection plate’!)
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!