The Provincial Government has released a progress report on cleanup of contaminated worksites throughout the Province.
The reportĀ speaks on work done over the past two years to investigate and remediate sites that have been contaminated by industrial activity.
The program has investigated a total of 87 abandonedĀ sites, 2 of which are right here in the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District.
Former Cronin Mine Site:
- Operated between 1917 and 1974.
- Approximately 30 kilometers Northeast of Smithers.
- Investigations have identified there are risks of metal contaminations from the mill and its tailings.
- The human health risk assessment concluded that actual health risks for recreational users of the site were minimal.
- Without road access to the site, remediation of the area is difficult.
- Four signs were installed at the Cronin site in 2017 warning the public of the presence of contamination.
Former Two Mile Creek Mine Site:
- Located a few miles from the Hazeltons.
- A preliminary environmental investigation of the Two Mile Creek tailings indicated elevated concentrations of several metals.
- During the 2006 program, Two Mile Creek was observed to be flowing over areas of exposed tailings and potentially eroding these contaminated materials into the creek. Downstream of the site, Two Mile Creek is used as a source of drinking water and irrigation water for the Village of Hazelton and Gitanmaax Band communities.
- Remediation of this site occurred in 2008.
- Due to the water contamination that occurred in 2006, water sampling of the Two Mile Creek happen on a semi-annual basis to this day.
The Environmental Management Act ensures that those that pollute are held responsible under a polluter-pay principle so that the taxpayer does not have to assume these clean-up costs.
The fullĀ 2018 Crown Contaminated Sites Biennial Report can be found here.