Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services
Kugluktuk (Apr 30/01) - Ensuring plants and animals aren't exposed to contaminants is at the top of residents' concerns over pending clean-up of a nearby military radar site.
Clean-up work at the burned-out Lady Franklin Point DEW line site is set to begin in the summer of 2002, four years earlier than originally planned.
"We're going in next summer instead of in 2006 due to concerns" about the safety of the site said project manager Pete Quinn.
Quinn and six other members of the cleanup team were in Kugluktuk Wednesday to consult with hamlet residents.
The Lady Franklin Point site jumped to the front of the clean-up list after fire destroying much of the site in January 2000 and wind blew ash and debris laced with PCBs several kilometres from the site.
During an emergency clean-up last year, contaminated snow was placed in a holding area until the thaw. Runoff went through charcoal filters.
Roland Merkosky, an Edmonton-based engineer, told residents that fences had been put up around the burn site "to keep animals out, along with bird screens to keep geese from landing."
Philip Kadlun, a local hunter, was worried about other sources of contamination.
"Have you done any vegetation studies around the burn site? You have caribou passing through that area," said Kadlun.
He was told no studies of vegetation were carried out, because the contaminated ash and snow was removed prior to the thaw.
After the meeting, Kadlun said the meeting failed to satisfy all concerns.
"I think people have concerns about wildlife, whether it's fish, caribou, seal, whatever. Are the animals we're hunting in there safe to eat? (The team) sometimes can't seem to find the answers."
Quinn said all contaminated material with PCB concentrations of 50 parts per million or more will eventually be taken out of the Arctic for disposal. Any other contaminated material will be placed in a secure plastic lined landfill.
"It'll be isolated with a plastic over top, then clean fill over that," said Quinn.
He admitted "there's always a risk," of contaminants leaching into the environment, but assured that the landfill "is engineered to contain the stuff."
Quinn said the site will be regularly monitored for 25 years after the cleanup.
Should any problems arise, corrective action will be taken and inspections will be stepped up.
