Pollution closes truck wash >

' By JEFF NAGEL
A TRUCK WASH in Thornhill
has been shut down by the en-
vironment ministry because it’s
polluting the environment.

Water fiom Peg-Rin Enter-
prises’ truck wash on Kofoed
Drive tends to cross the road and
pond in the backyards of neigh-
bours,

“It's a muddy mess,” says as-
sistant regional waste manager
Frank Rhebergen.

‘The water runs downhill erod-

ing land, and plugs up culverts.

and ditches.

‘The environment ministry on
Sept, 18 slapped a pollution
abatement order on Peg-Rin
owner John Jackson.

~ It’s all baffling to Jackson, who
can’t believe water from his hose
—~ which is clean of oil or other
contaminants — is in the same
category as industrial emissions
from Alcan or Eurocan.

“‘As far as Tam concemed it’s
not an environmental thing at all
and they. shouldn't be involved, ”
Jackson says, '

But, fetter from Rhebergen
says otherwise. : ;

‘Even if there was no silt in
Mr. Jackson’s effluent discharge,
the water is still deemed to be a
business waste, subject to the re-
quirements specified under the
Waste Management Act, and if it
causes problems for other people
it would: be considered pollut-
ing. oP .

Jackson has run the truck wash

since 1982. Most of the waste

water flowed onto a Vacant lot
acroas the street.

Now, however, there’s an ex-
peasive new house on the lot,
built last year.

Complaints last falt led the en-

JOHN JACKSON of Peg-Rin Enterprises can’t turn on the hose
at his tuck wash because the water has been deemed pollution.

- Basically, -

vironment ministry to investigate,
and finally issue an abatement or-
der.
says Rhebergen,
Jackson needs to make his neigh-
bours happy to get off the hook. -
“He needs to satisfy the people
who are complaining,’’
Rhebergen said. ‘‘And he hasn't
really made a whole lot of effort
to do.any negotiating. He hasn’t
crossed the street. We had to
show him photographs of the
ponds of water he created in their

~ backyards.””

He said Jackson is using a large
diameter low pressure hose —

spewing large amounts of water

for each wash. A smaller, higher

pressure hose might help, he sug-
gested.

“Most outfits use high pressure
wash systems that use about a
tenth the amount of water. I think
Mr, Jackson’s system is pretty
dated.’? ..

But Jackson says the higher
volume is needed to get the dirt
off, and it gets the job done much
faster.

He says he’s dug a couple of

small setiling ponds into his yard
this year, but it won't keep runoff
water away from the neighbours.
“Tis physically impossible to
keep water on flat ground when

the ditch is 12 feet lower — and.

it’s just plain stupid anyway.”

Peg-Rin washes more than 330
trucks per year — on avemge one
a day.

If it was indeed one each day,
there might not be a problem,

But truckers tend to want their
rigs washed at the end of the
week, and thus most of the water
flows on Fridays, concentrating
the problem.

Jackson fingers a newspaper ar
ticle about a tanker truck that
crashed and spilled chemicals
into a lake because of Inadequate
inspections, -

He says his truck wash is essen-
tial to truck maintenance and
safety inspections — which pre-
vent accidents,

“They're preaching safety to us
every day, and then: they shut
down the very thing that’s keep-
ing these trucks safe,’ he says.

There are other trick washes in
town, however. Although Jackson
says the truck wash itself doesn’t
bring in much. money, he con-
cedes it does help attract business
to his repair shop. He also per-
forms about 450 truck inspections
per year,

“We pay taxes. This is industri-
al property. ] shouldn’t have to
spend my time fighting to: do
something it was zoned for,” he

says.
Meanwhile, highways has
carried) out some re-ditching

work, cleaned culverts, and im-.
proved: the drainage along that
portion of Kofoed.

But Rhebergen says the en-
vironment ministry would Likely
need written assurances from the
ministry of highways that it no-
longer has concerns, and some in-
dication from the residents that
they’re satisfied before Hane the
abatement order.

Thornhill backs clean-up effort

THORNHILL RESIDENTS left
no doubt they were in favour of
the Kitimat-Stikine regional dis-
tict’s efforts to clean up the com-
munity, says by-law enforcement
officer Don Oldham.

To date, he said, 101 derelict
vehicles have been taken to the
landfill and another 15 would be
on their way as soon as. equip-

- ment could be found to haul them

away. .

Oldham said 73 vehicles were
from people taking advantage of.
the district’s one-time offer to
haul away the derelicts frce-of-
charge, eight of those coming
from a single property.

Pointing out a similar clean-up
effort several years ago pulled in

only 25-30 vehicles, Oldham sug-. -
gested, “Hopefully it’s:a sign of.

Our new DeVilbiss Down Draft Paint Booth
with Bake Oven will put a factory like finish on
your car or truck, no matter what age.

Auto Body Repairs °
All Makes of Cars
and Light Pickups
Frame Work onary
Glass Installation & Repairs

Complete Collision Repairs ©
ICBC Claims Handled Promply

| Goodwrench

changing attitudes.””

The:clean up also netted about
40 old appliances ‘‘and all kinds
of other junk,’’ he added,

Oldham said the district owed a
vote of thanks to those businesses
which volunteered equipment to
help with the clean up collection.

Good as the figurés are, they

don’t account for all, the derelicts
- that, littered - the! 124. Properties ek

Service 7Zas

“EXPERT SERVICE-HONEST PRICES

fa

‘| BUICK CHEVY TRUCKS

mac

i of Experience.

The Strength

BOldsmobile a}

\ | PONTIAC Chevrolet Gee

Get To KHow

ee

Terrace :

We TERAACE 635-4941

y [MoEwan] su

KITIMAT 632-4041
QUT OF TOWN CUSTOMERS

1-800-8MCEWAN*

(1-#00-002: seas)"

Oldham identified during a pre
clean up tour of. the community.

He will now make another tour
fo find out who is still in con-
travention of the © unsightly
premises by-law. ©

“We will be working with the
by-law and enforcing - it,’ he
wamed. “We are certainly going

_{o be taking: action.’? a

a

a “Tha Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 4, 1995 - A8

"News In Brief
Liberals look for candidate

SHARON TAYLOR has been elected president of the B.C. Liber-
als’ Skeena constituency association.

She said the Liberals are now at “green light position” on
membership and money — which means at least 300 members
and $6,000 — so they are now beginning their candidate search,

Nov. 25 has been pencilled in as the date for the nomination
meeting, Taylor said, But if an election is called before then,
they'll hold an emergency meeting to name a candidate within
four days of the writ being dropped,

Also elected to the executive were vice-president Derrick Curtis,
Ireasurer John Badr, secretary Linda Hawes, and directors Bud
Powell, Paul’ Chhina, Rick Wozney, Jim Thom, Mohinderpal.
Chhina, Barry Pankhurst, Holly Grueger, Heimke Aaldane and
Richard McDaniel.

Taylor said there are potential candidates in both Terrace and
Kitimat, but wasn't naming names,

Calling all Earthlings

RELAX. IT WASN’T a UFO. That's the word from local
Stargazer Brian McNair for those who may have spotted some-
thing fiery in the Sept, 24 night sky.

‘What it was, says McNair, was a huge meteorite blazing along
on the upper crust of the earth's atmosphere. McNair said he saw
the fireball about 11:30 p.m. while he was outside with his camera

to take pictures of stars, |. .
“All of a sudden J noticed my shadow. I said \ wait a minute,

there’s no moon. So I looked behind me and saw this huge:
fireball,”’ said McNair. ‘I said ‘Oh My God.’ — ’ve seen a lot of

things so when I say ‘Oh My God,’ it’s big. Its light was just like

that of a welder’s arc.”

MeNair said the tail of the fireball, caused by bits and pleces of.

the metcorite-falling off behind it, ‘stched a blazing trail for: 45
seconds in the sky,

He thinks the object skipped off. of the cearth’s tsp,

resuming its Space journey.

Chopper pilot fined -

A TERRACE man has been’ fined $100 for flying a blcopter in

a residential area.

Tom Bond was charged with 31 counts under the city’ 8 noise 7

control bylaw. He pleaded guilty to ‘one count and was fined $100,

'. The helicopter -was being flown in and out of his: yard at'5103 -

McConnell. He now keeps it at a ‘angar on the river, which is-not
in an Ri zone,

Bedard to chair Nwec board.

. NORTHWEST Community College held its annual elections for

the positions of chair and. vice-chair at the September 23 meeting ;
_of the board of governors.

Kathleen Bedard wap elected a as. chair, “and Sudy ‘Tracy was.

elected by acclamation to the position of vice-chair.

Bedard has been vice-chair for the: past two years, and is now on.
her fourth year as a member ofthe board, She lives. i in. Prince
Rupert and is a district principal with school district 52, r

+ Tracy is‘a'resident of Terrace and i is: employed by. the ebm 7

district of Kitimat-Stikine...
: Thes next board meeting date is 8 October 20.21 i in Kitimat, cys

. idercal ete

eed Poa

Gold

SINCE 1910

Come In and See Our Dazzling
Selection of Gold Jewellery —