An open house at Goldstream Provincial Park tomorrow highlights remediation work in the surrounding area and river after a fuel truck overturned on the Malahat highway almost a year ago.

Work completed to date includes:

• 617.95 tonnes of contaminated soil removed from the west side of the highway.

• Soil, water and sediment sampling.

• Biological and hydrocarbon surveys and sampling.

• Removal of oiled vegetation and woody debris from river and banks.

• In-stream sediment raking to release trapped hydrocarbons.

Examples of ongoing work include:

• Surface water, pore water (water that runs through the sediments in the bottom of the river) and groundwater monitoring.

• Removal of remaining hydrocarbons using a soil-vapour extraction system by skimming any remaining hydrocarbons off the surface of the water.

The Ministry of Environment and stakeholders, including First Nations, are currently reviewing a draft restoration proposal prepared by environmental consultants for Columbia Fuels. While it is acknowledged that remediation will be ongoing over several years, plant life has recovered, fish have returned to the river and animals are coming to feed at the riverbank.

Surface water quality on the river has been steadily improving and based on B.C.'s water quality guidelines, it has been below detection limits for hydrocarbons since the end of July.

On April 16, 2011 a truck owned by Victoria-based Columbia Fuels spilled 42,000 L of gasoline and 600 L of diesel fuel along the Malahat section of the highway. Contaminants drained from the road into the adjacent Goldstream River, through the estuary and into the ocean. Fuel and contaminated soil were removed immediately but contaminants remain in the soil and groundwater underneath the Trans Canada highway.

The family-oriented open house will be held from 12-3 p.m. near the Nature House at Goldstream Provincial Park. Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Columbia Fuels and the Goldstream hatchery will be available to provide information and answer questions related to the spill and the ongoing remediation work.

Quote:

Environment Minister Terry Lake -

"All parties involved have done an outstanding job of working together to clean up and remediate this precious area. We are pleased with the commitment of Columbia Fuels to the remediation work to date and the restoration activities currently being evaluated. I also want to acknowledge the participation and great work of the First Nations and the Goldstream hatchery throughout the response to this unfortunate incident."

Contact:

Dan Gilmore

Communications

Ministry of Environment

250 356-0202

Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect