Derelict Vessels On Lower Fraser Pose Environmental Threat
Prince George, BC – The BC Ministry of Environment says seven derelict vessels located along the Fraser River near Mission have now been deemed secure.
High water conditions earlier this week made the vessels a significant risk to river traffic, houseboat residents and downstream infrastructure, including rail and highway bridges.
A declaration of environmental emergency remains in place as oil in one of the vessels continues to pose environmental risk. The ministry says a qualified marine response agency has been tasked with removing the oil.
Ministry officials say five steel piles and cables have been installed to secure the largest vessel, the former Queen of Sidney. When crews arrived to do the work late Thursday, the boat had shifted position due to the rising river level and was putting additional stress on pre-existing tethers.
The government says it will be pursuing cost recovery for any and all expenses incurred in addressing the hazards posed by the vessels.
Comments
Wow. Now these vessels are an environmental hazard? What were they before they were deemed and environmental hazard….a water feature??? It’s o.k. for abandoned crap to be left laying or floating around any other time except when we have high water issues. The government (local and provincial) should act a lot quicker than they do with these issues. So how many years have these vessels been sitting where they are…. years, many years. One would think with all the provincial government ministries we have, one of those “ministries” should have “acted” on this scrap storage issue much sooner.
Maybe the government should put signs on these vessels saying, “Do not steal this scrap”.
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