Dear editor,At numerous public meetings over the past few months, the question has been raised whether or not the proposed Raven Coal Mine Project near Fanny Bay is just the beginning of numerous coal mines being developed in the Comox Valley.Although the proponent of the Raven Project, Compliance Energy Corporation (CEC), is quick to say that they have no plans to develop properties on Vancouver Island at this time, a look at their website may give us a clue as to what their future intentions may be.The Raven Project, currently undergoing an environmental assessment, is just one of several coal deposits identified in its 29,000-hectare coal tenure in the Comox Coal Basin.The Bear Coal Deposit, 12 kilometres from the Raven Project, and the Anderson Lake Coal Deposit, just off of the Strathcona Parkway 鈥� each with open pit potential 鈥� are also contained in its Comox Valley coal tenure.CEC isn鈥檛 saying if the Bear and Anderson Lake coal deposits are big enough to justify a mine on their own, but once the Raven is operating, Bear and Anderson Lake can both piggyback on the infrastructure and capital investment made for Raven.How big a loophole is the phrase 鈥渁t this time鈥�? And what should readers make out of the fact that, on its website, Compliance identifies both deposits as candidates for potential future development?Before filing its first documents for Raven, the website claimed, 鈥淭he Bear [project] is approximately 12 kilometres apart from the Raven and it鈥檚 anticipated that it would be developed in conjunction with the Raven deposit.鈥漈hat language has now disappeared.Skyrocketing world coal prices are accelerating B.C. coal development. Could the mid-Island turn into a mini-Appalachia?Those of you who think that the proposed Raven Project is just going to affect the Fanny Bay area had better wake up and smell the coffee.The next phase of the environmental assessment of the Raven will include a 40-day public comment period and public meetings in the areas affected by the project. This comment period is expected to commence mid-spring or possibly later.I urge all the residents of the Comox Valley to participate in the comment period and to attend the public meetings. This proposed Raven Underground Coal Mine Project, if approved, will have a negative impact on not only Fanny Bay, but the entire Comox Valley, for decades to come.More information on CoalWatch and the Raven Project is available at www.coalwatch.ca.John Snyder,Fanny BayEditor鈥檚 note: John Snyder is president of the CoalWatch Comox Valley Society.