Fraser River, Vancouver ports team up to fund river debris trap

Fraser River, Vancouver ports team up to fund river debris trap    The Fraser River and Vancouver port authorities have approved the allocation of $236,000 in joint funding in 2007 for the Fraser River Debris Trap, the two agencies said Thursday.
   The port authorities have also recommended the development of a multiyear, shared-funding agreement for the debris trap, calling upon federal and provincial governments, the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Fraser Valley Regional District, to work together on this important initiative.
   “Funding of the Fraser River Debris Trap is just one example of the benefits of the proposed amalgamation of the three lower mainland ports,” said Allen Domaas, president and chief executive officer of the Fraser River Port Authority, in a statement. “Funding at this level would not be possible if the Fraser River Port Authority had to go it alone.”
   The Fraser River Debris Trap Operating Committee (FRDTOC) has set a 2007-2008 budget of $750,000, which includes operating costs of $628,000 and a contribution to a reserve fund as an operational and maintenance contingency.
   “We hope it will be the first of many such initiatives aimed at providing benefit to both the gateway and the surrounding communities, not just on the Fraser River, but also in Burrard Inlet,” said Gordon Houston, president and CEO of the Vancouver Port Authority.
   The Fraser River debris trap captures enough natural woody debris, such as trunks, root balls and branches, to fill 10 football stadiums to a depth of three meters. The debris would otherwise travel downriver during the spring high water period.
   According to an independent study commissioned by the FRDTOC, the trap pays for itself a minimum of 12 times over by reducing damage and cleanup costs caused by debris. It helps keep the lower stretches of the Fraser River and southern waters of the Strait of Georgia clear for navigation, and each year helps avoid at least $8 million in costs of cleanup and repairing damage to vessels and shoreside infrastructure.
   Also on Thursday, the Vancouver Port Authority announced the formation of the Deltaport Third Berth Project Community Liaison Committee.
   The DCLC's goal is to work with the port authority during construction and first year operation of the Deltaport Third Berth Project at Roberts Bank. The committee will discuss community concerns, develop potential solutions to address those concerns, and assist in communicating information among the community, VPA and other port stakeholders.