(The Canadian Press circulated the following on August 19.)
VANCOUVER — The B.C. government has sent an order to CN Rail, demanding it do more to clean up the area of a recent train derailment in the central city of Prince George.
The Ministry of Environment served the company with a Pollution Prevention Order on Friday, instructing CN to immediately inspect and monitor an area where two trains crashed Aug. 4.
The order also requires CN to devise a cleanup plan.
The collision caused a fire and leaked burning diesel and gasoline on the bank of the Fraser River.
B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner said that during a recent overflight, ministry officials noticed that the oil and fuel that was absorbed into the soil had since run off into the river during heavy rainfalls.
He said containment booms put up after the accident by CN Rail have since been taken down. Penner said new booms were put in place by the ministry, which CN has been ordered to maintain.
A representative for CN Rail said the company was mystified as to why the government would issue the order, when the rail line was already following most of its requirements.
“Every provision contained in the order is in the process of being done as part of CN’s ongoing work with environmental agencies,” said spokeswoman Kelli Svendson.