A B.C. First Nation is suing the provincial and federal governments, as well as the owners of the Nathan E Stewart tug that spilled 110,000 litres of diesel along the northern B.C. coast.
The Heiltsuk Nation say that the October 2016 spill in the Seaforth Channel along the central coast near Bella Bella, irreparably damaged their marine harvesting areas.
Nearly two years to the day of the Oct. 13 spill, asking for financial compensation and a change to how petroleum products are shipped along B.C.B次元官网网址檚 coast.
Speaking at a press conference in Vancouver Wednesday, Heiltsuk hereditary chief Frank Brown said that the spill response was B次元官网网址渃haotic and inefficientB次元官网网址� and equated it to further B次元官网网址渃ultural genocide.B次元官网网址�
Heiltsuk Nation calls the shipment of petroleum products B次元官网网址渃areless.B次元官网网址� Say the want environment and financial compensation for the Nathan E Stewart spill, + want courts to take a better look at how tankers are regulated along BCB次元官网网址檚 coast.
B次元官网网址� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)
B次元官网网址淲e have to do better.B次元官网网址�
The civil claim targets Kirby Offshore Marine, the owners of the tug, for their alleged B次元官网网址渋nadequate practicesB次元官网网址� that led to the tug hitting the rocks, spilling diesel and lubricants into the water.
It also personally targets Sean Connor, the master of the vessel, and Henry Hendrix, before the Nathan E Stewart was grounded.
The Nathan E. Stewart ran aground on a reef in the Seaforth Channel near Bella Bella, spilling approximately 110,000 litres of diesel and another 2,000 litre of lubricants into the water and causing an estimated $12 million in damage to the tug and the barge it was towing.
A Safety Transportation Board investigation into the spill found that neither Transport Canada regulations, nor the boat operators, had done enough to handle the B次元官网网址渋nevitableB次元官网网址� fatigue brought on by the crewB次元官网网址檚 schedule.
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Speaking after the press conference, Chief Marilyn Slett said that her nation is still suffering the after-effects of the spill.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been a clam fishery thatB次元官网网址檚 been shut down for two years. This is our winter economy, it brings our community through the winter,B次元官网网址� said Slett.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 the ecosystem in the incident area, the wildlifeB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 not the same.B次元官网网址�
She feels like her nation was left out of the spill response and the environmental assessment that followed.
B次元官网网址淚t was driven by the polluter, by Kirby. Canada and B.C. did not feel like they had the responsibility to consult with us,B次元官网网址� Slett said.
B次元官网网址淭he process is inadequate and does not include Indigenous communities.B次元官网网址�
She said that the Heiltsuk were launching their suit not just to secure B次元官网网址渕illionsB次元官网网址� in financial compensation for themselves but to ensure that all First Nations across the province are better prepared.
B次元官网网址淥ur communities need to be trained, we need to have the infrastructure in our communities, the suppliesB次元官网网址� and we also need to have some management control over what that looks like,B次元官网网址� said Slett.
B次元官网网址淭he incident command structure that was put into place does not include First Nations.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e are here to get justice,B次元官网网址� say the Heiltsuk Nation. Nathan E Stewart spilled 100,000+ litres of diesel in their waters.
B次元官网网址� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)
Currently, the promised extra $1.5 million in spill response funding for B.C.B次元官网网址檚 coast is on hold, following the federal appeals courtB次元官网网址檚 quashing of the Trans Mountain pipeline.
But Slett said that regardless of what happens with Trans Mountain, the need for an improved and more nuanced spill response is there now.
B次元官网网址淐ertainly, with the amount of traffic that is traversing through our territory right nowB次元官网网址� it needs to be improved, regardless of adding more traffic to it,B次元官网网址� said Slett.
In a 196-page report released last year, to protect the central coast from a similar spill.
In a statement, the environment ministry said that they were working with the federal government and would B次元官网网址渆ngage with Heiltsuk as appropriate for a federally-led initiative.B次元官网网址�
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