The B.C Environmental Assessment Office has wrapped up the public comment period on a change proposed for a controversial project involving tankers carrying jet fuel up the Fraser River.

Owned by a consortium of airlines that use YVR, the Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation is proposing to ship jet fuel to a tank farm that would be built on the south arm of the Fraser. The facility would be built on the Richmond side of the river, which has created angst for a large number of local residents as well as Richmond council.

An underground pipeline would send the fuel from the tank farm to the airport.

The fuel corporation recently amended the proposal to divert part of the pipeline route away from residential areas and pipe the fuel beneath the Highway 99 corridor. The comment period into that amendment ended Feb. 1.

The EAO says it will forward all posted comments regarding the Highway 99 route option to the project proponent so they can be duly considered through the environmental assessment process.

The amendment does little to alleviate concerns about the tanker farm as well as shipping fuel up the sensitive Fraser River estuary, says the Vancouver Airport Pipeline Opposition for Richmond (VAPOR), a coalition of mostly Richmond residents but some from Delta.

VAPOR says the proposal continues to pose a great risk to fish and wildlife, their habitat, recreation, navigation, property and public safety in the estuary.

VAPOR held a protest Saturday outside the East Richmond Community Hall where the fuel consortium held an open house.

Following the open house, VAPOR chair Carol Day, on her group's website, wrote she spoke with many people who were disappointed their feelings about the project are deemed irrelevant and not welcome.

VAPOR is not only opposed to the jet fuel project but also the environmental assessment process now underway.

It maintains its concerns are backed by a report released by B.C. Auditor General John Doyle, who noted the EAO is failing to properly assess and monitor major projects that could harm the environment.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie says his community is united in its opposition to the jet fuel delivery proposal.

Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington has also spoken in opposition, saying the environmental assessment application fails to quantify the level of risk based on that of other fuel delivery options that are available.

Delta council has been largely guarded in offering a position, instead wanting more information on the project. A Delta staff member is part of an EAO working group on the proposal, along with other municipal, provincial, and federal government representatives. Delta has an information page on the jet fuel project on its website at www.corp.delta.bc.ca/EN/main/residents/771/805/airportfueldelivery.html.