Island Asphalt Paving has publicly and fully acknowledged the damage to Graham Creek caused by the spill of “tack coating” from their facility in Keating Industrial Park last week. They have hired SNC Lavalin to undertake a full-scale clean-up operation. They have already undertaken initial surveys and have had work crews continuing the removal of the floating tar masses. They will then conduct further tests to determine the contamination levels resulting from the asphalt product adhering to the rocks, gravel, woody debris and plants in the creek, design a suitable remediation plan and implement it.
We have reached an understanding with Island Asphalt regarding our participation in this process. Ian Bruce and I will be invited to attend “stake holder” meetings, the first of which should take place next week. Ian will be given the opportunity to review all of SNC’s test results and to recommend further testing if he deems it necessary. He will then be given ample opportunity to comment on SNC’s proposed remediation plan before it is finalized and to take part in a thorough inspection of the creek once the clean-up work has been completed. Finally, Island Asphalt Paving will reimburse Peninsula Streams for all of Ian Bruce’s time spent investigating the spill to date and his participation in all of the phases of the stream clean-up program outlined above.
I remain to be convinced that it will be possible to restore Graham Creek to its original state, at least in the near future, but I am heartened by the real concern that I have heard expressed in my dealings with Island Asphalt including their readiness to acknowledge their responsibility and to make a genuine effort to rectify matters.
Denis Coupland, Treasurer, Peninsula Streams Society
Coordinator, ḰENNES (Hagan/Graham Creek) Watershed Project
Tar trapped in woody debris immediately downstream from Centennial Park
