Seven abandoned boats that triggered an environmental emergency along the Fraser River near Mission, B.C. have been secured, but risks to the area remain after the discovery of oil leaks.
Fears the vessels could break free due to rising flood waters and potentially damage bridges and marinas downstream brought in crews from the Canadian Coast Guard, Transport Canada and the provincial emergency response team earlier this week.
Emergency responders found oil leaks Friday after working to clean up hazardous material and putting in new mooring to secure the boats, including the former Queen of Sidney ferry.
On Saturday, crews used a hose to suck 3,000 litres of oil from a leaky fish boat once known as the Talapus.
"We do see a sheen around the ship, a very minor, but it is a precautionary thing. We want to make sure that that oil that is within the bilge tanks and hold tanks don't release into the Fraser River and impact the environment,” said Avtar Sundher of B.C. Environmental Management.
"We don't want any of that oil; 3,000 litres would make a huge impact on the Fraser River and the estuaries that are downstream,” he added.
Environment Minister Terry Lake wants to move fast to prevent harm to the area.
"We're getting frustrated with the lack of response on the part of the federal authorities, so we don't want to let this thing continue and we're taking steps to make sure we clean it up,” Lake said.
Although the province promises to pursue cost recovery from the owners, taxpayers could end up paying for the new mooring and the cleanup that is costing tens of thousands of dollars.
The oil from the Talapus should be sucked up by Sunday, and no other leaks have been discovered. BC Conservation has launched its own investigation into waste storage violations.
The flow of the lower Fraser River remains fast, but the B.C. River Forecast Centre says it has peaked and is currently sitting at 6.1 metres at the Mission gauge.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Peter Grainger
