Fuel spill at justice centre work site might have reached harbour

By Michael Gorman

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

A spokesperson for the government said a 200-gallon diesel leak at the Yarmouth Justice Centre work site did not spread into the harbour or the town's waterline, however that might not be the case.

"As of yesterday, the investigation indicated there was no contamination into the harbour," said Cathy MacIsaac, a spokesperson with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.

MacIsaac said the source of the leak was temporary heaters used by workers at the site. She said the heaters used at the work site are standard and used at work sites until the permanent heating system is installed.

The diesel fuel leak was inside the building, however MacIsaac said it also reached the sewer line. The sewer line to the site was cut off to avoid a spread to the harbour.

A private contractor was subcontracted to handle the cleaning. As part of standard protocol, a harbour boom that allows water but not oil to pass through was installed to ensure there was no runoff into the harbour. MacIsaac said there was no indication of contamination of any kind.

But Dave Whiting, harbour manager for the Port of Yarmouth, said he isn't so sure. Whiting said there didn't seem to be a good line of communication with the problem. He said there is indication that the diesel did make it to the middle of the habour and that he'd heard as much as 400 gallons spilled at the site.

Whiting said people in the area, including the owner of a local lobster pound, are also concerned that information was not communicated well enough.

Jacqueline Cook, an inspector with the Yarmouth office for the Department of Environment, said catch basins in the waterline did show some traces of oil. Cook said oil was also found at parts of the shoreline where pipes from the waterline meet the harbour. She said it is likely that the spill at the justice centre is the source of that oil. Cook said her assessment indicated that proper protocol was followed during the incident.

The spill is not expected to impact the completion date of the justice centre.