What do you know, it looks like it was coal dust after all.
Last fall we published a number of letters, including a couple from Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington, about the "black stuff " that was blanketing cars, patio furniture and pretty much anything else left outdoors in Tsawwassen, particularly in the westernmost part of town.
It looked like a duck and walked like a duck, but the powers that be were reluctant to identify it as a duck. This assertion seemed curious given the presence of North America's busiest coal port on the community's doorstep.
Then later in the fall Huntington wrote a second letter after receiving word from Westshore Terminals, operator of the coal port, that a certain percentage of the dust, as much as 20 per cent in some cases, was indeed coal. It was hardly a startling revelation, but it was nice to hear it confirmed nonetheless.
Huntington's letter also included news that substantial upgrades would be made to the dust control systems at the coal port. This week Dennis Horgan of Westshore Terminals came before Delta council to outline the improvements that will be carried out this year, work that will total a not-so-insignificant $7 million.
It might appear strange to applaud a company for carrying out needed mitigation measures, for merely acting as a responsible corporate citizen, but in this day and age when the wishes of the little guy aren't routinely heeded, it was heartening to see Westshore commit to the costly improvements.
It could have buried its head in the sand, or the dust for that matter, and stuck to a line others were shopping about how the mysterious black stuff wasn't coal dust, but it stepped up, admitted responsibility and is taking action.
To be fair, not all the black soot that's landing on property in Tsawwassen could possibly be attributed to activities at the coal port given everything else we're putting into the airshed these days. It would defy logic if some of that unwelcome coating weren't from the emissions of ships, trucks and trains that frequent this area, among other potential pollutants in our midst.
Even if the coal port is more than likely just part of the problem, and thus can only remedy what's in its control, it's still encouraging to see the operator take ownership of the issue and commit millions to combat it.
It would be even better if this corporate responsibility thing became contagious around here.
