Photo: Vancouver Port Authority

Washington state First Nations are opposing the expansion of a container terminal in Delta.

The four First Nations are expressing their concerns at Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency hearings.

The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 would be located just north of the U.S.-Canadian border and would increase capacity to more than 2.4-million shipping containers a year, CTV News reports.

"We're here to protect Mother Earth. We're here to protect her species that provide us food for our people. It's not only us. It's for each and every one of you, and your children and your grandchildren that are coming behind you," said Tsilixw (Bill) James, Hereditary Chief of the Lummi Nation.

The Coast Salish, Suquamish and Tsleil-Waututh are also opposing the expansion.

Meanwhile, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it's confident the project can be built and can address concerns.

"The number of container vessels that would be calling the port with or without this terminal project will remain the same, because vessels are getting larger, and larger, newer vessels also have a smaller environmental footprint," said Duncan Wilson with the port authority.

– with files from CTV Vancouver