Provincial environment minister says spill has been largely contained
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Daily Gleaner
The amount of spilled fuel that’s been recovered in a massive cleanup at a gas station in western New Brunswick has now surpassed 180,000 litres, says the province’s environment minister.
But Gilles LePage is quick to add that it appears the contamination beside Murray’s Irving Truck Shop in Woodstock has been largely contained.
“Most of the fuel has been captured,” the Liberal cabinet minister told reporters at the legislature. “The numbers have gone up a little bit, but now we’re pumping mostly water and there’s less and less fuel in there. But it’s still under investigation and until we pump no more fuel, our team will be there.”
Bill Hogan, the Progressive Conservative MLA who represents the area in western New Brunswick, criticized the minister in question period on May 30, demanding that he hold a public meeting for nearby residents who worry about their well water.
The last time the minister provided an update in April, 175,000 litres of fuel had been recovered.
“The people who don’t know what’s going on are the people who live right there,” Hogan boomed. “They want assurances that the water they drink every day is going to be potable and safe.”
The opposition critic also demanded to know why there was a new test well across the highway from the gas station, where most of the work had occurred, a sign that the leak could have possibly spread.
“Why can’t we have a public meeting so that government can tell the citizens what is being done to ensure that their water is and will remain safe?”
LePage answered that all the tests being conducted were to ensure that people’s health and the environment were properly protected.
“The public can rest assured that the results of every test we receive show that there was no contamination in the residential wells tested. The message has been shared publicly on a daily basis to anyone who wants to hear it. If people in your area don’t want to hear the message, or if there are people we haven’t reached, please provide us with their names and phone numbers. I will be happy to call them.”
Late last year, after people complained about the funny taste of the water at a neighbouring Tim Hortons, samples were sent to a government lab. They showed the presence of fuel in untreated water on Dec. 12.
An inspection soon discovered an underground leak from a storage tank that had gone undetected, despite a requirement that gas stations be equipped with warning alarms and careful daily auditing of fuel levels.
A big cleanup, paid for by Irving Oil, has taken place ever since, encompassing a large area that extends several yards to the edge of the TransCanada Highway, where excavators have been digging out contaminated soil.
The 180,000 litres is enough to fill two large backyard swimming pools. The Tim Hortons remains closed while the truck stop is open.
Irving Oil didn’t answer a question from Brunswick News about the cost of the cleanup.
“Potable well water testing both regulated and voluntary – has been ongoing in the surrounding area with results consistently falling within safe parameters,” said spokeswoman Katherine d’Entremont in an email.
“We continue to work collaboratively with the regulatory authorities as the health and safety of our customers and neighbours remains our highest priority.”
After the spill, the minister asked his inspectors to do an examination of 30 other gas stations from across the province, in a random sample. Half of those stations were found to be violating the rules. Five tickets totalling more than $6,000 were handed out.
He’s promised more inspections at other gas stations. New Brunswick has about 440 of them.
Megan Mitton, from the small opposition Green party, has asked what was done beforehand to prevent the Woodstock disaster and worries more spills could occur at other gas stations.
Following question period, LePage told reporters that he didn’t know the cleanup cost, as it’s on Irving Oil’s tab.
He also said there would be no point in holding a public meeting if he couldn’t provide all the answers people want.
Still, the minister pledged to release more information once the investigation is completed.
“It’s coming very soon,” he said.
