Thanks to the landowner who sent me the following and gave permission to publish.
Thank you for your January 20,2023 email expressing your concerns about activities and potential discharges from Deep Water Recovery Ltd., operating in Union Bay, BC.
Ministry Compliance Officers has been actively engaged with Deep Water Recovery to ensure the facility is compliant with the Environmental Management Act (EMA).Compliance Officers have attended the site on several occasions and the results of these inspections can be reviewed on the Natural Resources Compliance and Enforcement Database (NRCED). Past inspection reports for Deep Water Recovery are publicly available here.
Please note that due to the large number of complaints for this facility, Compliance Officers are not able to respond to every email. However, all complaints received are triaged using a risk-based approach for environmental pollution and human health as well as jurisdictional authority. Information on how we assess compliance, is available in our Compliance Management Framework and on the Natural Resource Compliance & Enforcement webpage.
For your information, Deep Water Recovery has applied for a waste discharge permit under EMA requesting authorization to discharge effluent from a prescribed activity. The application process in currently underway and the application status can be viewed here by searching for Authorization Number 111318 or Tracking Number 416364. The Ministry has determined that Deep Water Recovery’s application is complex and is expected to take some time to complete.
In the meantime, an Information Order requiring ongoing sampling and monitoring has been issued to Deep Water Recovery. Information Order number 111550 can be viewed here. This order is to ensure discharges of effluent to the environment that may occur prior to an authorization decision being made aren’t impacting the receiving environment.
If you have further complaints or concerns, I encourage you to call the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.
Thank you again for taking the time to write.
Sincerely,
Tamara Mickel
Environmental Protection Officer
Compliance and Environmental Enforcement | BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
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To report an act of pollution call the RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) line at 1-877-952-7277 or #7277 on the TELUS Mobility Network or report the incident online
To report a spill call the Provincial Emergency Program at 1-800-663-3456
More information about Environmental Compliance and how it is assessed can be found here.
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