Last week's excavation of a portion of the 樱桃视频Estuary to clean up oil residue has left estuary advocates dissatisfied and frustrated.
The contractors hired to remove the oil, Burrard Clean Operations, brought in a backhoe to remove patties of diesel oil left along the beach of the western side of the 樱桃视频Terminals after the Westwood Anette freighter ship's hull was punctured last August.
Estuary advocates are saying last week's work to excavate a five metre diameter portion of the beach was far from sufficient.
"Everybody showed with one rock truck, a major sized excavator, two dump trucks, including one equipped with a pup from the Quantum [Environmental] company in Richmond," said resident John Buchanan, who was on site during the work.
"As they began cleaning, everyone could clearly see the extent of the pollution. But Burrard Clean only had the okay to remove no more than a site five metres by five metres by ten inches deep, so that was all they removed," said Buchanan.
"In my opinion it was a complete waste of time."
Edith Tobe of the 樱桃视频Streamkeepers also expressed frustration over the clean up work that was done."I feel that it was completely nominal what they did," said Tobe.
"Once again it was certainly an example of a token effort. They had the equipment there and they had the opportunity to do it right and they missed it."
Tobe would have liked to seen the work continue further along the bank up Creek One, towards where it runs parallel to the terminals.
"That whole area had been affected."
Gearbulk Shipping, owners of the Westwood Anette had arranged the clean-up work. According to Kevin Larsen, managing area director for the Ministry of the Environment, the shipping company had consulted with the Ministry of the Environment, Environment Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Coast Guard, the 樱桃视频Nation the District of Squamish, and the 樱桃视频Terminals prior to beginning work.
However, Buchanan said he believes that the amount of public consultation on the clean up is insufficient.
"One of the major problems with the oil spill has been that nobody has involved anybody at a local level as to input to any clean up plans, scheduled work and monitoring, or any effects that work may have on any user groups around the site," said Buchanan.
