CBRM calls on Imperial Oil to invest in community protection at fuel depot
Community asking company for actions after 600,000 litres of gasoline spilled at tank farm last July
A Cape Breton regional councillor says Imperial Oil is starting to make amends at the request of residents in a neighbourhood near a major gasoline spill in Sydney last summer.
The community and Cape Breton Regional Municipality council have made five requests of the company, ranging from stopping fuel trucks from idling in the area to building a new access road into the fuel storage depot.
On Tuesday, Coun. Eldon MacDonald said Imperial Oil has agreed to pay for signs indicating the residential neighbourhood is an idle-free zone.
"Those signs are currently being made and getting ready to go up, so they are engaged, they are listening, but signs are a small expense," he said. "[It's] a good outcome, but the rerouting of traffic is a significant issue. It's going to cost a lot more money than putting signs and posts up."
MacDonald said the community is hoping the company will build a new road across former industrial land to the fuel storage depot, routing trucks away from homes in Sydney's north end.
"That's a long-term project, but again I think Imperial Oil should be open to having those discussions," MacDonald said.
"Discussions don't cost you anything other than the time of sitting around the table and if you can't see value in that, then I'm sure the residents and myself would be disappointed in that."
More than 600,000 litres of gasoline were spilled at the depot on July 8 after a front-end loader slipped down an embankment and punctured one of the tanks.
People living in the residential neighbourhood next to the depot called for it to be relocated.
The company did not have any foam fire suppression on hand during the spill and CBRM worked with J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport to bring in a large truck capable of spraying foam on gas.
The airport eventually sent CBRM a bill for $50,000, which the municipality forwarded to Imperial Oil.
The company has since paid the bill, said Mayor Amanda McDougall.
MacDonald has been involved in talks with Imperial Oil and said while the costs are unknown, he is hopeful they will seriously consider the community's requests.
CBRM is asking Imperial Oil to buy foam fire suppression gear, hand over water and soil samples collected after the spill and consider locating fuel tanks elsewhere when they reach the end of their useful lives.
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