Grandriverkeeperlabrador

The following copied from the November 6, 2006 Issue of The Labradorian Newspaper

Complaint filed with Fisheries Act

Local activists take their fight over sewage dumping to Environment Canada

BY PAUL CARLUCCI
The Labradorian

Grand Riverkeeper Labrador Inc. (GRL) has filed a complaint with Environment Canada over Happy Valley-Goose
Bay's practice of dumping raw sewage into the Churchill River. GRL president contacted York Friesen, an enforcement
officer with Environment Canada, early last week via phone, email and post. Planning has begun for an onsite
inspection, which will take place sometime over the next two or three weeks.
"The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is in direct violation of the Fisheries Act Section 36 (3)," the letter reads.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay Mayor Leo Abbass said the town is fully prepared to co-operate with the inspection.
"Everything we have done to date has been with the approval of the Department of the Environment" Mayor Abbass
said. "I would have to believe both the Province and the Federal Government must be aware of what's going on. If this
guy wants to talk to us, we'll listen and see what he has to say, and move on from there."

If the town is found in violation of the act, various compliance measures can be imposed. Enforcement directions depend
on efforts already in place to resolve the problem. Currently, Happy Valley-Goose Bay is looking into building a lagoon
system in the Mud Lake Road vicinity.

Section36(3) prohibits the deposit of deleterious substances in "any type of water frequented by fish." In the act, a
deleterious substance is defined as any substance that can degrade of alter water quality, either directly or indirectly.
According to GRL, there are at least 16 different types of fish in the river, including Atlantic Salmon.

Mayor Abbass also indicated a willingness to work with two University of Windsor law students who will be assisting
GRL under the auspices of the Clean Water Workshop, a Lake Ontario Waterkeeper initiative supported by the Pro
Bono students of Canada. The students said they will rely in part on interviews with town staff for their information
gathering process.
"They can't come in here and just take something and go on," Mayor Abbass said. "They'll have to sit down with the
town manager and other people, but we'll work with them.