ItB次元官网网址檚 been almost three months since a potentially disastrous oil spill resulted from a landslide that came down above the Fraser River in Herrling channel, near Hope.
First Nations leaders are going public with their concerns in an attempt to spur immediate action at the spill site.
The landslide caused by heavy rains was reported to CN on Dec. 6. The slide caused an oil tank owned by a paving company to tumble down the slope, spilling an estimated 2,000 litres of waste oil.
The oil tank owned by Key-West Asphalt had a 20,000-litre capacity.
First Nations leadership in the area want provincial and federal agencies to take decisive action before the oil reaches the river.
Overall the spill response to date has been B次元官网网址渟low and sloppyB次元官网网址� and the inaction is a B次元官网网址渃lear demonstration of regulatory failureB次元官网网址� mostly at the provincial level, said Tribal Chief Tyrone McNeil, president of the St贸:l艒 Tribal Council.
The emergency remediation finally obtained authorizations and got underway in early February. But when it was discovered the required geotechnical reports were not filed, a stop-work order was imposed by WorkSafe BC, causing the cleanup effort to be put on hold.
Spokesperson Ricky Dhatt of Key-West Environmental was briefly reached by phone, and he said that the oil tank in question was almost empty at the time of the spill, and that the waste oil B次元官网网址渨as not going into the water.B次元官网网址�
But Indigenous leaders said the urgency arising right now is because spring freshet is on its way, and they want the work to resume. They also want the debris which included B次元官网网址渕icroplasticsB次元官网网址� to be removed since itB次元官网网址檚 a threat to the best sturgeon habitat and spawning grounds on the entire Fraser River.
TheyB次元官网网址檝e been on conference calls, and fired off letters, and have toured the site.
The waste oil is on the upstream side of the CN right-of-way, pooling in a ditch by a rail bed.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e pretty confident that the oil has seeped into the ground, and is likely moving toward the river,B次元官网网址� McNeil said.
They want test wells dug in to confirm but they need CN approval to do so.
As the lead agency on the oil spill, the B.C. Ministry of the Environment was asked by The Chilliwack Progress when the remediation work will resume, or if the province would take over the remediation process due to the delays.
Ministry officials in an emailed response clarified that MOEB次元官网网址檚 role is to: B次元官网网址渇ollow-up on incidents, ensuring the public and our communities are safe, and environmental remediation is completed.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淏ritish Columbians expect swift action to protect the environment when spills and landslides occur,B次元官网网址� according to emailed statement from MOE officials. B次元官网网址淭his is why we are holding Key-West Asphalt accountable for cleaning up waste oil that fell during a landslide.B次元官网网址�
There is no threat to public safety from the spill, and in this case, Key-West Asphalt B次元官网网址渨as responsible for the incident,B次元官网网址� ministry officials confirmed, and that includes management, and environmental restoration of the area.
B次元官网网址淜ey-West is working with their contracted geo-techs to remedy WorkSafe concerns and deficiencies. It is expected that on-site work will resume soon,B次元官网网址� the MOE statement said.
The exact date is not known.
B次元官网网址淓verything about the recovery has been slow and sloppy,B次元官网网址� said McNeil. B次元官网网址淚 am astounded that DFO is allowing pickups, gravel trucks and machinery to travel through prime sturgeon spawning habitat willy nilly.B次元官网网址�
McNeil said as soon as it was safe to start the work, he put in a request that DFO place straw bales or other mitigation methods on the ground to soak up the oil. He said B次元官网网址渟wamp matsB次元官网网址� would help to create a path to minimize harm to the habitat before the equipment rolled in.
But that request not accommodated by DFO officials.
The lack of speedy remediation, and accountability by regulators prompted the TiyB次元官网网址檛 Tribe to declare a state of emergency, with the Pilalt Tribe in support, and have asked the province to take over the site remediation, by invoking Section 87/88, of the Environmental Management Act, McNeil said.
There has been a total lack of cohesion in the response by the agencies.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really frustrated about the inability for the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Environment, Transport Canada or DFO to compel activities,B次元官网网址� McNeil said.
Seabird Island Chief James Harris said on the conference call that the oil spill site is directly across the river from his community near Agassiz.
B次元官网网址淲hen the spill happened it wasnB次元官网网址檛 even reported until CN came across it,B次元官网网址� Harris said.
And since then the spill response has been B次元官网网址減ushed aside,B次元官网网址� instead of being made a priority.
B次元官网网址淚t should have been a big concern,B次元官网网址� Chief Harris said.
Skwah First Nation councillor Eddie Gardner said the absence of an effective response all this time has raised B次元官网网址渟erious accountabilityB次元官网网址� questions, especially with the spring freshet just around the corner.
It needs to be seen as an emergency given the valuable fish habitat thatB次元官网网址檚 been put at risk.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a state of emergency ever since this spill happened, because weB次元官网网址檙e all concerned about taking care of our relatives. We consider our salmon and sturgeon our relatives.B次元官网网址�
Seabird First Nation councillor Sally Hope said Fraser sturgeon should ultimately be recommended for listing under the federal Species At Risk Act, especially since there has been a B次元官网网址渟elf-imposed moratoriumB次元官网网址� by the St贸:l艒 fishers who would have traditionally harvested sturgeon for traditional medicines.
The local leaders have been increasing the pressure on this file since January.
When the remediation finally got underway in early February, only to be shut down for lack of a geotechnical report, it raised their ire.
B次元官网网址淣ow itB次元官网网址檚 time for action,B次元官网网址� Hope said. B次元官网网址淲e want to see some action on their part, and we want it quick.B次元官网网址�
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