By Gerry Belet, Vancouver Sun, January 20, 2011

Province asked to determine whether Long Lake is contaminated site

Four environmental groups want the provincial government to determine if Long Lake -- 30 kilometres west of Campbell River -- should be declared a contaminated site based on high levels of arsenic found in the sediment.

A letter asking for a determination has been sent to the director of water waste managements from Ecojustice, on behalf of the Campbell River Environmental Committee, the Campbell River Estuary Protection Group, the Haig-Brown Institute and the Greenways Land Trust.

"The lake is the receiving environment for the effluent from the Quinsam coal mine," said Leona Adams of the Campbell River Estuary Protection Group. Recent studies by the Canadian Water Network found arsenic levels in sediment to be 630 parts per million -- 30 times the level that qualifies as a contaminated site under the province's Contaminated Sites Regulation.

"We know that arsenic levels of just 20 ppm can be toxic and so having levels of 630 ppm is a big problem," she said.

"The existing contamination is especially concerning given that Quinsam Coal Corporation is applying to expand the mine."

Adams said it was crucial to determine the extent of the contamination already caused by the mine before a decision was made to expand its operations. The environmental groups say that a study by CWN and the University of Aberdeen showed the contamination was both toxic and bioaccessible, meaning it can get into the food chain, potentially affecting the aquatic ecosystem downstream.

Stan Goodrich of the Greenways Land Trust said the river system of which the lake is a part "has been producing salmon for over 10,000 years."

"We know we can destroy it. We urge the B.C. government instead to protect it," said Goodrich.

gbellett@vancouversun.com

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