An environmental assessment report, commissioned by CN and obtained by the Times, stated two houses on Central Avenue here are well above soil contamination levels set by the Ministry of the Environment.
The MoE considers 1,000 parts per million (ppm) as contaminated. The report said soil samples taken from the property at 815 Central Ave. is rated at 7,135 ppm–more than seven times above the acceptable limit.
The report was compiled by the Winnipeg-based KGS group, and is dated May 27, 1999. It was issued to all affected homeowners on Central Avenue.
The report also contained a map of the affected area but new test samples taken last week could push the boundaries beyond what was initially expected.
“My property is shot to s–t,” said Bev Sandmoen, who owns 815 Central Ave.
“I can’t see where it’s good for me or anyone else on this block . . . I don’t know what to do,” she added. “These test wells are in now and they said they would meet with us within six weeks.”
A re-fuelling station, located in the CN train yard, was removed about 20 years ago. But diesel fuel remained in containers beneath the surface. Over time, it has seeped through the train yard and onto nearby property.
CN has located two spots on its property that contain “free product,” or fuel that is sitting on top of the water table. This can be extracted through a process called “slurping.”
CN plans to extract the fuel before it deals with the concerns of local homeowners. Its plan has been filed with town council and awaits the approval of the MoE.
Ian Thomson, director of Public Affairs and Community Relations for CN, admitted the leak has spread beyond the property but insisted it is within the guidelines.
“What we have, at this point, is that we have a sort of spread of the fuel off our property but there’s no ‘free product’ on residential or on [town] property at this point,” he stressed.
“The first thing we have to do is drain down the product that can be removed through gravity and different kinds of ‘slurping’ methods.
“We have to determine is whether or not the [plan to extract the fuel] will actively address [the residential problem],” he added. “That has to be done first before you take any other measures.”
Thomson also said the testing and cleanup is all a CN initiative, and is part of an ongoing environmental review of its defunct fueling stations.
But Central Avenue residents remain concerned about the lack of information they are getting about their properties.
“I’m not afraid. I just have some questions because we really haven’t been told what exactly is going on–what the [toxic level] of the soil is,” said June Drazenovich, a homeowner at 809 Central Ave.
“I am concerned about the fact that they have stated in a report that there is a high-risk problem [at 815 Central Ave.] and I really don’t know what the problem is.
“I don’t know how it affects the environment or health conditions,” said Drazenovich.
Her husband, George, has written to both CN and the MoE.
Harry Liivamagi, a CN environmental engineer, quickly replied to his letter, saying he was “gathering data” and would speak to homeowners during the week of July 13.
Until then, homeowners are fretting about their property values.
“We’re assuming from what we hear that it is virtually valueless,” George Drazenovich claimed.
“If I were to contaminate my neighbour’s property, I’d be up [a] creek without a paddle. So, therefore, if it’s negligence, and it’s their fault, they’ve got to do some compensation,” he argued.
Thomson said CN has addressed these issues.
“The residents there have the name and number of CN’s claims folks. We are, at this point, trying to determine the extent of the problem that we have to deal with,” he remarked.
“We can address what measures we can use to mitigate the problem,” he added.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
