The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ACTIVIST Joseph Darville is pleased with the efforts being made by Equinor to clean up the oil spill in East Grand Bahama, but has indicated there is still lots of remediation work to be done.

On Monday, Equinor met with representatives from Save The Bays (STB) and the Grand Bahama Utility Company at the Pelican Bay Resort, where they gave a comprehensive update of the oil spill clean up.

The Tribune was informed that corporate executives at Equinor also attended via Zoom, but did not participate.

“I am very pleased with the meeting,” Mr Darville, chairman of STB, said yesterday. “I was very happy they accommodated us; it was a very cordial and comprehensive meeting.”

STB and Waterkeepers Bahamas have been closely monitoring the cleanup efforts of the oil spill in East Grand Bahama. They have made regular visits to the area to inspect, collect samples and take photographs of the affected forest and wetlands.

Mr Darville said they were informed on Monday by a technician at Equinor that their findings show no penetration of oil to the water table in the area.

“The technician… gave a detailed analysis of what has been done so far. They dug 24 to 27 wells in the area and there is no sort of penetration of petroleum or oil products into the water table from those wells that they have dug. They have been monitoring that for over a year and they plan to do so for a certain period into the future.”

However, the environmental activist noted that there was no mention of the affected wetlands.

“One of the areas that were not covered was the wetlands for any monitoring of oil in the water, but I brought that up,” he said.

According to Mr Darville, during their initial and previous follow-up visits to the area, including one not more than three weeks ago, STB had observed oil sheen on the wetlands.

The technician, he said, had indicated that going into the wetland to try to collect the oil residue from the plants would cause more damage.

“I agreed with that because the wetlands are extremely delicate,” Mr Darville added.

He noted that Waterkeepers Bahamas and Save the Bays are the only groups that have been regularly monitoring that area almost every other week.

“We go and take samples and see how the cleaning is being done by workers in that area, and we make suggestions to the workers,” Mr Darville said.

During a recent visit three weeks ago, he said they saw sheens of oil on the water, and on the plants and vegetation that border the wetland.

“We took samples of the wetland and the water, and took pictures, but we did not show that to them. We were satisfied they were very accommodating and very comprehensive. We were very happy with the way they presented, and also with the way they entertained our queries and questions and comments of what we observed. And I told them after Equinor met with the team in Nassau at the Ministry of Environment, and indicated that the cleanup was almost completed, I said to them I had to contradict that in a public release and to say that was far from the case.”

Mr Darville said that the vegetation is growing back rapidly now that the rains have started, and have covered a lot of the oil residue on the ground.

“If they go in and do the expert job of cleaning up, they have to go in and lift the vegetation to get any residue of oil on the ground,” he said.

Another issue that was not addressed by Equinor at the meeting, Mr Darville said, was the oil spillage at a nearby aggregate site operated by a private company.

“I told them that I have been very disturbed… that has not been touched and there is an enormous amount of oil on the aggregate mounds, and that with all the rain the oil would be washed into the ground, and could eventually reach the water table unless it is taken care of carefully,” he stated.

He also drew their attention to a six-foot hole in the area. “It has three feet of water and there is oil sheen on the water which means it is making contact with the water table in that area,” he noted.

Mr Darville said Equinor has indicated that the matter is in litigation in court and they have been prevented from touching the area but will have to bring equipment back on the island to clean it when they are given clearance.

Mr Darville said Equinor has also promised to make sure before they make any public release on the cleanup, to include and inform STB and Waterkeepers.

There is still more work left to do, he said.

“They have quite a bit of work there to do. The weather conditions and COVID have really impacted their ongoing cleaning,” he said. “I go out there every other week… and I indicated that to them, and there is still cleanup that needs to be done in that area.

“The massive amount will be around those aggregate mounds that are 40 to 60ft high that are still covered in oil. I hope a decision is made based upon the regard for our environment that no matter what might be in the court they cannot allow that to subvert the action that needs to be done to clean up our environment and that forest,” Mr Darville stressed.

Equinor is carrying out restoration, reinforcement, and rebuilding on the site in preparation for when it resumes operations.

Mr Darville said he has urged the company to ensure that it constructs dome covers that can withstand 180 to 200 mph winds.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, a spokesman said that consistent with immediate action taken after Hurricane Dorian, Equinor has spared no resources to efficiently tackle the unfortunate oil spill.

“Equinor remains committed to the protection of the environment. Equinor welcomes the concerns of stakeholders and will continue to offer periodic updates,” according to the statement.