PORT MORIEN, N.S. — Nikki Sullivan
Cape Breton Post
Community residents are tired of getting nowhere with their concerns about the coal trucking route from Donkin Mine.
Since before the announcement of the construction of the Donkin Haul Road (Feb. 27, 2017), concerned Port Morien citizens have presented unofficial suggestions for alternate routes, which they say would reduce the number of trucks coming through the area — but nothing changes.
Now the Port Morien Development Association will present its case to Nova Scotia’s Minister of Transportation Lloyd Hines. They are writing a letter to the minister to request a meeting with him to outline their concerns and desired solutions.
Claude Peach is the Port Morien representative on the Kameron Coal community liaison committee who was at a recent meeting of the development association to give an update where he heard about the decision to lobby the minister.
“Roads are getting beat up, windshields are getting smashed ... We’ve had our own smashed. We know a number of others who have gotten their windows smashed. Not just in Port Morien but Donkin too,” said Peach, who lives along the coal transportation route.
“Everybody I've ever spoken to are saying they are tired of it. They’re tired of the mess of the roads. They’re tired of all the trucks. Our roads aren’t wide enough. We don’t have sidewalks or shoulders. Several people have reported to me being pushed over by the trucks and getting pulled by the slush.”
The coal trucking route goes through Port Morien both ways — travelling along Long Beach Road and turning at Dearn’s Corner, then travelling along the Donkin Highway toward Glace Bay on route to Sydney harbour.
Peach said many other residents, himself included, want to see changes made to the current route.
“I can’t think of one person that’s said, 'I like it. I think it’s good,'” he said.
One suggested route change is a loop — one way through Port Morien and then back through Donkin. This would effectively cut the number of runs the trucks make through Port Morien in half.
Another suggestion is to have a new coal transportation road constructed across the highway from the Donkin Mine. Following the pole lines, this road would bypass both Port Morien and Donkin, exiting about 500 metres before Dearn’s Corner when heading to Glace Bay. From there, the route would continue to the newly constructed Donkin Haul Road.
“We’d like the same thing that Glace Bay and Reserve Street has, the trucks going away from the community,” he said.
“There might still be problems with trucks at Dearn’s Corner but at least we get them out of the community ... This time of year, it’s treacherous meeting those trucks on these roads.”
On average, Donkin Mine has 10 trucks on the road daily and there is no overnight transportation. Each truck can legally carry up to 34 metric tonnes of coal (net load) and the trucks make multiple deliveries daily.
Mine company spokesperson Paul McEachern said they usually transport 30 metric tonnes per delivery.
Approximately half of the coal produced by Donkin Mine is being sold to Nova Scotia Power and some is used locally. The remaining coal is shipped to other markets.
Cape Breton Regional Municipality Coun. Amanda McDougall said she’s heard from many residents in her riding of District 8 who are concerned about the coal transportation route and agrees changes need to be made.
“Just a few days ago a resident sent me an email to discuss the trucking of coal through Port Morien,” McDougall said during a phone interview last week.
“These roads aren’t meant to be used for the amount of trucking that’s taking place ... Community members are saying it’s a matter of minutes between trucks, so that’s a lot ... The trucking is affecting the community negatively.”
