Rail shipping should be considered
It galls me to no end that not once in the entire article (Coaltown road,’ Cape Breton Post, Feb. 28) was the alternative of shipping by rail mentioned.
In an article published Feb. 25 in the Post, a quick comparison of rail verses truck regarding the feasibility and the effects on the environment was done. You need not to be a rocket scientist to understand that there is no comparison.
I represent the employees of Logistec-Sydney Coal railway who are charged with delivering coal to the Lingan Generation Station. On an average day we deliver approximately 6,000 metric tonnes of coal with little or no impact on the community at large while flying completely under the radar of most people.
In fact, when telling people I work on the railroad, the predominant question asked is “What railroad?”
To put the tonnage we deliver into perspective, it would take a fleet of approximately 20 trucks conducting 10 round trips each per day to deliver the same amount as a railway. To suggest this will not impact infrastructure and traffic conditions is ludicrous. You can do all the traffic and environmental studies you want, but common sense and logic will dictate otherwise. One need only look at the condition of Highway 125 to see the impact these trucks have and this is on a much smaller scale with regards to tonnage.
At present, both destinations for Donkin coal – the International Piers and Lingan Power Plant – are equipped and fully geared to be serviced by rail. I would guess that 75 per cent of the infrastructure needed to ship by rail is already in place and requires only a tie-in at some point around the Gardiner.
We also have a state-of-the-art maintenance facility located off the Sydney-Glace Bay highway, which is manned by a skilled and experienced workforce.
For these reasons alone, I cannot fathom the reasoning behind shipping by truck.
Are the jobs a necessity? Absolutely. But we as Cape Bretoners hear that too often. “If you want the jobs, you must accept our conditions.”
Let us not kid ourselves here. Kameron Collieries is going to mine coal here not to provide jobs but to line the pockets of owners and investors. Let us not be bullied into accepting their conditions without public input and consultation. Contact the government and Minister Geoff MacLellan and demand an explanation for their unfounded reasoning.
Being a Cape Bretoner and suspicious by nature, I am wondering two things:
Why is trucking being forced-fed to us? Is somebody getting rich performing a service that flies in the face of all logic?
Why does the Feb. 28 article read 58 Nova Scotians or imported Nova Scotians as opposed to Cape Bretoners? Do you know anyone working at Donkin or having the prospect of being hired? As we are all witnessing daily in the United States, Americans are gifted in the art of corporate and political spin.
Having aired my concern, let me be clear that I am all for the opening and mining of Donkin, but we as Cape Bretoners must be heard on how their methods impact our way of life. Apathy and passiveness are not acceptable when it comes to the long-term ramifications of this unilateral and illogical decision.
Ricky Wiseman CBRM (General chairman Local Lodge 684 IAM & AW)