Much of the Lower Dyke area in Kitimat, where Coastal GasLink (CGL) is installing their pipeline, has flooded after the intense rain on the weekend of Sept. 26 and 27.
Equipment, roads, and pipeline areas were underwater, but CGL said in a statement that the equipment appears to still be intact and that the water has receded as of Thursday (Oct. 1).
“Coastal GasLink has environmental specialists on site actively responding to flooding of the Kitimat River which has affected an adjacent work site. The flood waters have significantly receded and constructions crews are working to repair bridge crossing for access and clean-up of debris,” Kiel Giddens, Public Affairs Manager for the CGL Pipeline Project, said in their statement.
Giddens added that “an initial assessment of the site indicates that equipment remains intact and there are no visible hydrocarbon sheens at the location of the flooding.”
They will continue with environmental assessment and monitoring of the site, focusing on erosion and sediment control as top issues at this time.
“Additionally, environmental specialists have been deployed to rescue salmon stranded by the flood waters,” the statement continued. “It’s unknown at this time what impact, if any, the flooding will have on construction activities and environmental protection remains our top priority.”
clare.rayment@northernsentinel.com
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