Jet fuel pipeline plan draws opposition from Richmond mayor

The City of Richmond is demanding answers on a controversial plan to pump jet fuel across the city to Vancouvers international airport.

Mayor Malcolm Brodie believes the province is close to making a decision on the proposed pipeline, and says the environmental assessment process has been a done deal from the start.

"We believe that the consortium of the airlines has always known exactly what option they wanted and the entire process has been geared towards adoption of the current proposal on the table," he said.

The Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation says the new pipeline is needed to meet the airport's long-term fuel requirements.

But Brodie says the city still has some serious concerns about environmental safety.

"All of those kinds of concerns have been just shoved to one side and been ignored in the process, and we dont feel that is right."

That proposal would see liquid jet fuel barged up the south arm of the Fraser River, put into storage tanks and then sent across the city in a 15-kilometre pipeline to YVR.

Brodie says the plan is high risk and doesnt make sense.

"I mean, the airport itself is surrounded by a body of water. Why are they taking it to another corner of Richmond?"

The city is calling for a meeting with the provinces environment and energy ministers.