The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune chief reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

EQUINOR said it intends to make a detailed presentation to the Bahamas National Trust following a report that there continues to be high concentrations of oil in and around its plant following Hurricane Dorian.

“Equinor notes the concerns publicly expressed by the Bahamas National Trust related to the oil spill caused by Hurricane Dorian,” a brief statement to The Tribune yesterday.

“We intend to make a detailed presentation to the BNT very early in the new year to address the concerns.

“This is consistent with the series of updates and presentations we have afforded Save The Bays, Water Keepers and other stakeholders since Dorian.”

The BNT’s report said the findings came despite 18 months of weathering and remediation at the site in Grand Bahama.

It is likely high enough to negatively impact wildlife that may be exposed, the report said.

Further, the report said nearly five million gallons of oil that were spilled from the facility during the Category 5 storm was spread over wetlands, pine forests and a quarry.

As a result, approximately 31 acres of terrestrial habitat has been removed from the oil spill site and will require revegetation. In the quarry to the north of the spill site, there remains oil residue on the surface and this site also requires remediation.

“Throughout the impact area and beyond the boundaries of the published oil spill impact area, oil was detected on rocks, trees and in soil, including a film of oil in the areas of the wetlands that were partly exposed,” said Dr Ancilleno Davis, a member of the Waterkeeper survey team that collaborated on the report.

He reported observing just ten species of birds on the site with none of them being wetland species and only one being a resident forest species.

Following a thorough investigation in the aftermath of the storm, Waterkeeper Alliance and Waterkeepers Bahamas, which conducted the impact assessment of Equinor, said the area requires further delineation and mitigation of both habitat and wildlife impacts.