Diesel Spill Lutes Creek
Last updated on December 21, 2024Disclaimer:
- Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR)
- Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change
Incident description
| Incident Date | December 14, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Name | DGIR: 244987 |
| Source | Transfer Operation |
| Nearest Community | Zeballos, B.C. |
| Spilled Content | Diesel |
| Who is involved |
Grieg Seafood, Strategic Natural Resource Consultants Inc., Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the Village of Zeballos, the Village of Tahsis, Strathcona Regional District, Mount Waddington Regional District, Ehattesaht First Nation, Nuchatlaht First Nation and Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. |
Response phase details
The responsible person or spiller is legally required to cleanup or manage the cleanup of a spill.
In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV) may assume the role.
The updates below reflect the ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions. Details describe the spill response phase only and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. Visit the 'More information' page for other reports.
Updates are in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.
Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF, 106KB).
Most recent updates
December 21
On December 21st, response crews attempted to conduct on-water and shoreline assessments from the Esperanza Inlet to Nuchatlitz and Catala Island. Due to safety concerns from high winds and sea conditions, the crews had to turn back.
Field assessments are expected and will continue tomorrow, weather permitting
The waste management and wildlife plans have been drafted and are currently being reviewed. The sampling plan is still being drafted and will be informed by input from First Nations regarding food harvesting.
Further updates will be made when more information is available.
December 20
Operational Update from Unified Command
This is an operational update from Unified Command for the Lutes Creek Diesel Spill at Grieg Seafood’s site in Esperanza, BC on the west coast of Vancouver Island:
The continued safety of response personnel and the public is the highest priority of Unified Command during response operations.
Response operations are continuing and plans for sampling, wildlife and waste management are being finalized to further inform next steps.
Response crews continue to conduct surveillance activities to determine the extent of the diesel spread. A request has been made to the National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) to support the assessment of diesel spread and spill impacts. To date inclement weather has prevented the NASP overflight.
Further updates will be made when more information is available.
Mise à jour opérationnelle du commandement unifié
Ceci est une mise à jour opérationnelle du commandement unifié au sujet du déversement de diesel dans le ruisseau Lutes, au site de l’entreprise Grieg Seafood, à Esperanza, en Colombie-Britannique, sur la côte ouest de l’île de Vancouver.
La sécurité du personnel d'intervention et du public en tout temps est la priorité absolue du commandement unifié pendant les opérations d’intervention.
Les opérations d’intervention se poursuivent et les plans visant l’échantillonnage, les espèces sauvages et la gestion des matières résiduelles seront bientôt achevés et permettront de mieux éclairer les prochaines étapes.
Les équipes d’intervention poursuivent les activités de surveillance afin de déterminer l’étendue de la nappe de diesel. Une demande a été faite au Programme national de surveillance aérienne en soutien à l’évaluation de l’étendue de la nappe de diesel et des répercussions du déversement. À ce jour, des conditions météorologiques défavorables ont empêché les équipages du Programme national de surveillance aérienne de survoler les lieux.
D'autres mises à jour seront effectuées dès que de nouvelles informations seront disponibles.
December 18
The below statement is provided by the BC Incident Commander on behalf of Unified Command.
Operational Update from Unified Command
This is an operational update from Unified Command for the Lutes Creek Diesel Spill at Greig Seafood’s site in Esperanza, BC on the west coast of Vancouver Island:
On December 17th, 2024, Unified Command established key response objectives:
- Prioritizing the safety of response personnel and the public
- Minimizing the risks to the environment
- Recovering any recoverable or pooled oil
- Protecting marine wildlife
- Assessing and mapping shoreline impacts
To achieve these objectives:
- A marine mammal unit was deployed to survey the area for marine mammals. No marine mammals were observed in close proximity to the spill site, and all animals recorded appeared healthy, with no signs of distress.
- Field crews continue to deploy absorbent boom at identified priority areas.
- Crews are also conducting shoreline assessments and drone surveys to assess the extent and potential impacts of the spread of the fuel.
Further updates will be made when more information is available.
About Unified Command and the Incident Command Post:
Unified Command provides a structure between multiple organizations with overlapping jurisdictions or responsibilities to enhance response effectiveness by establishing shared decision-making and collaboration towards a common set of objectives. This shared decision-making body is comprised of representatives from Greig Seafood – the responsible party, the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ehattesaht First Nation, Nuchatlaht First Nation, and Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation.
Within the ICP, and working under Unified Command, are several experts from local First Nations, the Province of British Columbia, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Grieg Seafood, private industry and others.
Déversement de diesel dans le ruisseau Lutes
Le 18 décembre 2024
Mise à jour opérationnelle du commandement unifié
Ceci est une mise à jour opérationnelle du commandement unifié au sujet du déversement de diesel dans le ruisseau Lutes, au site de l’entreprise Grieg Seafood, à Esperanza, en Colombie-Britannique, sur la côte ouest de l’île de Vancouver.
Le 17 décembre 2024, le commandement unifié a fixé les principaux objectifs de l'intervention:
- Donner la priorité à la sécurité du personnel d'intervention et du public
- Réduire au minimum les risques pour l'environnement
- Récupérer les mares de pétrole et tous les hydrocarbures récupérables
- Protéger les espèces du milieu marin
- Évaluer et cartographier les impacts sur le littoral
Pour atteindre ces objectifs:
- Une unité de spécialistes des mammifères marins a été déployée pour de faire des relevés sur la présence de mammifères marins dans la zone. Aucun mammifère marin n'a été observé à proximité du site de déversement, et tous les animaux recensés semblaient en bonne santé et ne présentaient aucun signe de détresse.
- Les équipes de terrain continuent de déployer des barrages absorbants dans les zones prioritaires identifiées.
- Les équipes procèdent également à des évaluations du littoral et à des relevés par drone afin d'évaluer l'étendue et les impacts potentiels de la propagation du combustible.
D'autres mises à jour seront effectuées dès que de nouvelles informations seront disponibles.
À propos du commandement unifié et du poste de commandement de l’incident (PCI)
Le commandement unifié est une structure regroupant plusieurs organisations dont les compétences ou les responsabilités se chevauchent, afin d'améliorer l'efficacité des interventions en mettant en place un processus décisionnel partagé et une collaboration en vue d'atteindre un ensemble d'objectifs communs. Cet organe de prise de décision partagée est composé de représentants de Grieg Seafood - la partie responsable -, du ministère de l'Environnement et des Parcs de la Colombie-Britannique, d'Environnement et Changement climatique Canada, de la Première Nation Ehattesaht, de la Première Nation Nuchatlaht et de la Première Nation Mowachaht/Muchalaht.
Au sein du PCI, et sous le commandement unifié, se trouvent plusieurs experts des Premières Nations locales, de la province de la Colombie-Britannique, d'Environnement et Changement climatique Canada, de Pêches et Océans Canada, de la Grieg Seafood, de l'industrie privée et d'autres encore.
December 16
On December 16th, the Incident Command Post (ICP) was established in Zeballos at the Ehattesaht First Nation Band Office.
In addition to Strategic, the Responsible Party (RP) hired a contractor to assist with coordination in the ICP.
Multiple response organizations and governments are working together at the ICP under the concept of Unified Command. (Please see a definition of Unified Command below).
The organizations and governments who established Unified Command are Greig Seafood (RP), the Province (represented by the Ministry of Environment and Parks), the federal government (represented by Environment and Climate Change Canada), Ehattesaht First Nation, Nuchatlaht First Nation, and Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation.
Crews from Greig Seafood were on the water today conducting assessments and attempting mitigative measures. No recoverable fuel was reported.
Canadian Coast Guard reported they dispatched a patrol vessel this morning to the area and reported no sightings of fuel.
Further updates will be made when more information is available.
December 15
The Responsible Person (spiller) has been identified as Greig Seafood and have retained Strategic Natural Resource Consultants (Strategic) as their Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP).
The cause of the spill appears to be human error during fuel transfer. The spilled content is approximately between 7000 and 8000 litres.
Greig Seafood and Strategic reported that they were on the water to monitor and track the spill and have placed absorbent boom around the spill site. Strategic reported that they were unable to locate recoverable diesel on the water.
The Province deployed response staff today to the incident site. Provincial staff were able to conduct on water and aerial surveillance with Greig Seafood and First Nations representatives.
From those surveillances, visible sheen has been identified North and West towards Centre Island from the spill site. There is also smaller patches of observable sheen South and East towards Steamer Point.
The Province also hosted a coordination call with Greig Seafood, Strategic, Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), representatives from the Villages of Zeballos and Tahsis, and Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations. An Incident Command Post will be stood up to coordinate response actions.
Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) sent out an advisory through CCG’s Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) communication system to local mariners to advise of the diesel spill and to avoid the area.
The Ehattesaht First Nation issued a clam harvesting alert and closure in the Zeballos Inlet.
Further updates will be made when more information is available.
December 14
On December 14th, the Environmental Emergency Branch (EEB) received a report of a marine spill at a fish farm near Zeballos.
It appears that the spill was a result of a fuel transfer operation on a floating concrete platform. Approximately 7,500 litres of diesel spilled.
The Responsible Person (spiller) has retained a Qualified Environmental Professional to respond.
EEB held a coordination call in the afternoon on December 14th.
EEB is in the process of deploying response staff to the incident.
Further updates will be made when more information is available.
| Unified Command |
|---|
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Unified Command provides a structure between multiple organizations with overlapping jurisdictions or responsibilities to enhance response effectiveness by establishing shared decision-making and collaboration towards a common set of objectives. |