Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Resolution Island (June 17/02) - Every year, Harry Flaherty gets his hopes up and every year, Ottawa dashes those hopes on the rocks at Resolution Island.

He should be used to the disappointment by now, but Flaherty, the director of environment for the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, seems just as crestfallen this year as in the past.

Flaherty learned recently the Resolution Island Cleanup Project, for which QC is the site contractor, would receive just $4 million from DIAND for the 2002 season. He had asked for $7 million.

DIAND pays for the cleanup because it became the Canadian agency responsible for the former U.S. military site when Canada bought the island from in 1976 for $3,000.

This year's shortfall means Flaherty will only be able to hire a fraction of the people he hoped to bring on board -- 45 workers will find work this summer, not the more than 70 women and men employed in summers past.

It also means the working season will be shortened considerably: Just 55 days will be spent on the island.

But, environmentally speaking, the most troubling consequence of the federal government's tight purse strings is that most of the dirt contaminated by high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have to wait to be shipped off the island.

In accordance with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, PCB residues must be reduced to no more than 50 parts per million. That means the highly contaminated soil must be removed from the island.

QC hoped to ship off some 2,000 cubic metres of soil this summer, but will only be able to send approximately 800 cubic metres of dirt South for incineration.

"It's gotten to the point where it is a little frustrating," said Flaherty. "It's the same old story, year after year."

A tender call has gone out asking companies to express interest in incinerating the soil. Quebec firm Bennett Environmental Inc., which has consulted extensively with QC on the issue, is expected to submit a proposal.

It will cost an estimated $12 million to ship all 5,000 cubic metres of dirt off the island.