No. A012/05For release - October 20, 2005
ST. JOHN'S, NL — The Honourable R. John Efford, Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador, on behalf of Transport Minister Jean C. Lapierre today announced that a $90,050 contract has been awarded to Eastern Demolition and Recyclers Ltd. of St. John's, NL to complete the first phase of a project to remediate the fire training area at the St. John's International Airport.
"The Government of Canada is committed to managing its contaminated sites in a responsible manner," said Minister Efford, "and the decision to initiate the process to remediate the fire training area at St. John's International Airport demonstrates that commitment."
The first phase of the project includes the removal of the infrastructure associated with the fire training area, including the mock-up tanks, which form the simulated fuselage of an aircraft, and the excavation of fuel lines leading to that area. Disposal of all contaminated materials will be done according to provincial environmental regulations.
The fire training area was used from the early 1980s to 2004 by airport firefighters as part of their ongoing training program for responding to aircraft fires. Aviation fuel was pumped into an aircraft mock-up and ignited to train firefighters to respond to aircraft fires. Over the years, this resulted in contamination of the soil around the fire training area.
Phase I of the project announced today will also include soil sampling of the fire training area to help determine the extent of any contamination of the surface and subsurface soil. The data collected from the sampling will be used in conjunction with previous site investigations in the development of an environmental remediation plan to address soil contamination of the fire training area. Phase II of the project will consist of the implementation of the remedial action plan.
"The Government of Canada is dedicated to the remediation of the fire training area at the St. John's International Airport," said Mr. Lapierre. "By protecting the environment, we work at improving the quality of life for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and indeed all Canadians, today and in the future."
The fire training area at the St. John's International Airport is no longer used as a training area for the airport's firefighters. Transport Canada is decommissioning the site and will remediate the fire training area in order to remove any potential risk to the environment.
Funding for this project was provided for in the 2005-2006 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing financial framework.
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Contacts:
Irène MarcheterreDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of Transport, Ottawa(613) 991-0700
Maurice LandryCommunicationsTransport Canada Atlantic Region(709) 772-6197
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