Representatives of the numerous agencies involved in responding to an environmental calamity in the estuary last August want the public to prepare questions for an upcoming open house.
"I'm hoping that lots of people come out and ask questions," said Ministry of Environment scientific officer Colleen Loguisto.
On Tuesday, March 27, representatives from Environment Canada, the Coast Guard, Squamish Nation and the District of Squamish will each man individual booths with storyboards depicting the events and actions that took place on Aug. 5. On that day Westwood Annette cargo ship careened into a Squamish Terminals port, rupturing its hull and spewing 29,000 litres of Bunker C fuel into the Squamish Estuary.
"The people who were on the ground responding, they're going to be there, so this is a great opportunity to have those questions answered one-on-one," said Loguisto.
Calling the presentation a "joint venture," Loguisto said the open house is a good opportunity to get long awaited answers.
"From my understanding the public does want more information," she said. "The federal department has some previously asked questions they want to address, so we'll kicking those up."
The responsible party will not be represented, however. The ship's agent has been responsible for the long term monitoring and impact assessment work, and punitive measures have not yet been imposed, according to the Ministry of Environment's regional manager Jennifer MacGuire.
The province imposed a pollution abatement order on the ship owner in August, but the ship agent appealed under jurisdictional arguments stating only the federal government could issue an order involving migratory birds.
An appeal hearing was scheduled for mid-February, but has been postponed until November 2007, because the responsible party "continues to amass a sufficient amount of data that possibly they may be able to satisfy the requirements of the order and therefore the order will no longer be required."
Agency representatives will provide residents with information based on questions from the public collected through a call in line at 604 582-5200, and at the door of the open house being held at Totem Hall, Tuesday March 27 from 4 to 8 p.m.
