If you drive along Route 1 in southern New Brunswick, you will notice ongoing construction work near Nauwigewauk. Crews are still cleaning up the area nearly two months after a large tanker truck rolled over and spilled more than 36,000 litres of fuel.

According to a report from CTV News Atlantic, the April 8 incident prompted a massive environmental response. Seaboard Liquid Carriers took responsibility for the spill and hired Pario Engineering to lead the remediation efforts.

Massive Soil Removal

The cleanup requires significant excavation. Workers removed 2,000 metric tons of contaminated soil and cut down several trees. Crews also set up underflow dams and booms to prevent fuel from leaking into nearby watersheds.

One lane on the eastbound side of the highway remains closed to accommodate the heavy machinery and workers. Pario Engineering established clean walls around the excavation site. This means they reached areas where they no longer detect volatile chemicals.

Protecting Local Waterways

The spill happened near Whalen Brook. This small tributary feeds into the Hammond River. The Hammond River Angling Association closely monitors the situation to protect the local ecosystem.

Sam Bohan works as an ecological technician for the association. He notes that gasoline contains harmful chemicals like benzene and toluene.

“It’s harmful because it’s soluble in water and at certain exposures and concentrations can pose a risk,” Bohan told CTV News.

Fortunately, early tests show positive results. The association completed two rounds of water sampling. Both rounds returned results below detection levels.

“Now, that doesn’t mean that there’s zero in the water, it just means that with our laboratory methods it’s below where we’re able to detect which is reassuring,” Bohan said.

Jennifer MacNeil handles communications for the Department of Environment and Local Government. She confirmed that petroleum concentrations in the surface water remain below regulatory limits.

Next Steps for the Cleanup

Crews have not set a completion date for the project. The Hammond River Angling Association will continue sampling the water after heavy rainfall. Workers are also installing two groundwater wells to monitor the area over the long term.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the fuel spill happen?

The tanker truck rolled over on April 8 and spilled over 36,000 litres of fuel.

Who is responsible for the cleanup?

Seaboard Liquid Carriers claimed responsibility and hired Pario Engineering to manage the remediation work.

Is the local drinking water safe?

Current tests show that petroleum levels in the surface water are below detection limits. Crews are installing groundwater wells for ongoing monitoring.

Why is a lane closed on Route 1?

One eastbound lane remains closed to give crews space to safely remove contaminated soil and monitor the site.