No federal investigation of Sanikiluaq gasoline spill

The federal Environment Department is not investigating the overflow of 4,800 litres of gasoline from the tank farm in Sanikiluaq that prompted residents to flee their homes despite no official evacuation order.

Residents of the island community of 1,000 people in Hudson Bay were advised to move away from the hamlet’s core area but were told it was safe to return to their homes later that day.

Enforcement officers with Environment and Climate Change Canada are, however, “following up and gathering information under an inspection,” says Samantha Bayard, spokesperson for the department, in an email to Nunatsiaq News.

Inspections are completed to verify compliance with federal environment legislation, whereas an investigation gathers evidence relating to a suspected violation of legislation.

Last week, the department confirmed it opened an investigation into the 7,000-litre of diesel spill that sent fuel into the ocean on June 11, after a pipeline ruptured along the coast of Pond Inlet.

In their investigation, the enforcement officers will be looking for violations of the Fisheries Act or Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

Nunatsiaq News also asked the Environment Department if it would be investigating the 7,000-litre diesel spill that occurred in Rankin Inlet last week but the department did not address it in the response.