Sludge Watch ==> Vancouver Dredge Sludge Dumped in US Waters

[Maureen Reilly]

Port sludge dumped in U.S. waters
'Serious violation' of environmental permit
David Carrigg,  The Vancouver Province
Published: Friday, August 03, 2007

Canadian and U.S. authorities are investigating the dumping of thousands of 
tonnes of sludge into the U.S. side of the Strait of Georgia.

Duncan Wilson, spokesman for the Vancouver Port Authority, said 
22,000-tonnes of sludge from the port's Delta terminal expansion was 
wrongfully dumped by a contractor between May 31 and July 10 in U.S. waters.

The port learned of the mistake late last month when the B.C. Transmission 
Corp. reported that one of its underwater electrical power cables had been 
damaged by the sludge.


"This is a serious violation of an environmental permit," Wilson said 
yesterday.

Environment Canada had permitted the sludge to be dumped in deep water in 
the Canadian section of the Strait of Georgia.

The port authority is currently adding a $300-million third berth to the 
existing two-berth terminal at the Deltaport container terminal at Roberts 
Bank.

It has contracted Delta Point Constructors Ltd. to build the berth and do 
the dredging, towing and dumping work for the project.

Wilson said the "clean" sludge is not suitable for use in construction and 
had been dumped about one kilometre from where it should have been.

The incident is now being investigated by Environment Canada, the port 
authority, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, B.C. Transmission Corp. 
and U.S. officials.

The investigators will determine who was responsible for the error and how 
to deal with it.

Wilson said a submersible vessel will be placed in the waters above the dump 
site today to take video footage to help investigators.

"There will be no more ocean disposal by barge until the contractor's 
proposed plan to address the cause of this mistake has been accepted by 
Environment Canada," said Chris Badger, the port's vice-president of 
operations.

dcarrigg at png.canwest.com

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=e91454fc-2535-4026-86b1-9b11195f14fe