The federal court has ordered scrap metal dealer Tracy Dodds to pay $1.2 million in cleanup costs for two derelict vessels.
Dodds is to pay $867,000 for the cleanup of the Farley Mowatt and around $395,000 for the Cape Rouge, which sank at a dock in Bridgewater several years ago.
The vessel was later refloated and is still sitting in the Lahave River.
The cleanup had fallen on the the Coast Guard which used the Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund to cover costs.
The fund is meant to cover cleanup costs and then go after the polluter to recover the money.
Bridgewater Mayor David Mitchell says the decision shows the issue is being taken seriously.
“There seems to be momentum going forward with recognition from the federal government that these ships go beyond just being an eye sore but are also an environmental hazzard.”
While the decision gives him hope, Mitchell says the derelict ships on the Bridgewater waterfront are still a big problem.
“There has to be more than just one boat gone, it has to be all the boats gone and then there has to be some kind of mechanism to prevent the owner from bringing up anymore ships.”
The Cormorant and the Hannah Atlantic, which is owned by Dodds, are still docked at the Port of Bridgwater owned by Rick Welsford.
Mitchell says council will be discussing the issue further and may look at the Oceans Protection Plan’s Abandoned Boats Program for more help.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
Email: wentzell.brittany@radioabl.ca
