This letter was sent to the Ministry of Environment and copied to The Chief for publication.
When the Mamquam Blind Channel dredging operation gets underway, there is a good chance there will be no environmental safeguards put in place, in direct contrast to the dredging operation currently underway at Burnaby Lake. They have implemented their safeguards even without the mercury history that we have here.
I believe that last week, commercial prawn fishing started in Howe Sound, and there is commercial crab fishing going on as well, all of which is directly impacted by releasing mercury into the water.
I think it boils down to the fact that we just don't have the money to do it properly.
How does senior government expect a small town like Squamish to take on the responsibility of conducting safe and environmentally sound dredging operations today and in the future?
Yes the soils above low tide levels have been remediated to certain levels on the Nexen lands, but the surrounding sediments underwater have never been addressed.
The outfall from the Squamish river system has encased the mercury so that mercury levels on the surface have dropped.
Any disturbances of the lower sediments pose the risk of releasing contaminants into Howe Sound.
The recent recovery of the local herring population and the visit of a grey whale this year highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy Howe Sound and a healthy ocean floor.
John Buchanan
Squamish
