Barge grounds at Rabbitskin River
Small amount of fuel spilled into waterway;
incident report not filed on time by company
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, August 27, 2015
TTHEK'EHDELI/JEAN MARIE RIVER
A Northern Transportation Company Ltd. (NTCL) barge grounded at mile 186 of the Rabbitskin River on July 27, releasing a small amount of fuel into the water.
Cargo is loaded onto a Northern Transportation Company Ltd. (NTCL) ship. A grounded barge spilled a small amount of fuel into the Rabbitskin River on July 27, according to reports.Dr. Peter Boronowski says he is saddened to leave Inuvik and other communities in the Beaufort Delta, where he lived for a decade. - photo courtesy of Peter Boronowski. - photo courtesy of Northern Transportation Company Ltd.
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No estimates of the amount of fuel have been provided.
"A limited amount of fuel is understood to have been released resulting in some non-recoverable sheening which later evaporated," said Dan Bate, the Canadian Coast Guard's regional spokesperson.
Bate said the CCG Environmental Response became aware of the incident on Aug. 5, nine days after the incident took place.
But federal legislation requires incidents be reported immediately to Transport Canada with a written report sent within 24 hours or as soon as possible.
"The limited volume of non-recoverable fuel had evaporated by the time the incident was reported; therefore, no environmental response action took place," said Bate. "CCG environmental response has met with MTCL company officials to remind them of appropriate reporting procedures for marine pollution
incidents."
NTCL filed an internal incident report form with details of the incident, but neither the CCG nor Transport Canada could provide a copy to Deh Cho Drum.
Transport Canada's regional spokesperson Amber Wonko said the document would need to be obtained through an information request to ensure the department met requirements under the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act.
Wonko said NTCL reported a "slight sheen on the water and a minimal amount of gasoline, if any, in the water."
Wonko confirmed Transport Canada became aware of the incident on Aug. 5, and said the written report was received Aug. 16.
"Transport Canada has notified NTCL that we will conduct a compliance inspection as a result of this incident," she said.
Transport Canada oversees safety in relation to the construction and operation of marine vessels and transportation of dangerous goods by marine vessels.
"If Transport Canada identifies noncompliance with the (Canada Shipping Act) or the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act, we will take the appropriate action," Wonko said.
"As the matter is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
NTCL could not be reached for comment by press time.
According to the NTCL website, the company operates 69 barges that service the North.
Despite historic low water levels in the Mackenzie River, barges are making runs to Tulita, Norman Wells and Kasho Got'ine until the shipping season ends the week of Sept. 9.
