By Derek Cornet

Fuel polluted soil at airport to remain untouched

Jan 11, 2018 | 11:00 AM

Two spots at the La Ronge Airport contaminated with petroleum should be monitored and cleaned by the province, according to La Ronge Council.

The decision was made Jan. 10 at a regular council meeting, where Ministry of Environment Project Manager Jeff Hendry presented three options to move forward on the issue. Council had to choose between having the contaminated soil completely dug up and transported south, partially removed, or left in place.

Hendry told council the contamination was discovered last fall, when reconstruction work was occurring on the apron near a tanker base. He said the spill was due to a hose reel used for filling planes, as well as an underground dump tank. As tenants at the airport, Hendry said the province has already spent $40,000 examining the issue and estimated a total cleanup to cost $120,000. The spill was reported to the Saskatchewan Government soon after it was discovered, Hendry said, and the province intended on taking the responsibility for it without dispute. 

“One of the spots was estimated to be between 50 to 60 cubic meters, which is roughly 10 small dump trucks,” he explained to council. “The other one is six cubic meters. It’s relatively small in terms of scale.”

Council decided to leave the sites alone, according to La Ronge Chief Administrative Officer Stephen Conway.

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“Of the three options, they’re just going to keep the contaminate in the ground, and they’d appreciate if the government would monitor it,” Conway said. “They want assurance at the end of the day, should things escalate or should the province abandon the site, that ultimately the province is responsible for cleaning up the contamination.”

Conway said the size of the area played a factor in council’s decision. He noted council considered the area to be industrial, away from development, and said the contamination currently poses no danger to the public. 

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno