NANAIMO GETS NEW CONSERVATION OFFICER

Five New Conservation Officers
To Increase Enforcement

Five new conservation officers are being hired to enhance the capacity of the Conservation Officer Service (COS) to participate in collaborative compliance projects with external partners, and engage in additional compliance activities throughout the province. These officers will be placed in Fort St. John, Golden, Vernon, Nanaimo and Surrey.

The Fort St. John field officer will increase compliance capacity in the area in relation to the oil and gas and mining sectors, the transport and storage of hazardous waste, and the Water Act and Integrated Pest Management Act. This officer will increase COS capacity to work more efficiently across the large geographic areas involved, identifying and working to ensure environmental compliance.

The ministry is placing a conservation officer in Golden, and creating a new operational zone, the North Kootenay. This will include the COS offices in Revelstoke, Invermere and Golden. The officer in Golden will serve as the zone supervisor. The creation of this zone will better serve the needs of the people of this geographic area.

The Vernon field officer will be added to the existing Vernon office to increase coverage of the Shuswap and Okanagan regions. This position will increase COS participation in an innovative multi-stakeholder partnership, involving all levels of government and various community stakeholders, with a focus on Shuswap Lake-specific issues. The new field officer will increase the capacity of the Conservation Officer Service and focus on issues important to the area, including grey water discharge, invasive fish species, species at risk, foreshore development and open burning smoke control.

The additional field officer in Nanaimo will address protection of freshwater habitat and riparian areas on Southern Vancouver Island. An integrated approach involving the public and all levels of government is being taken to ensure these important habitats are protected. The additional capacity will allow the service to support initiatives to sustain these habitats.

An additional field officer will be added to the Surrey office to increase capacity for compliance activities directed at the protection of human health and the environment, particularly in relation to the transportation, storage and treatment of hazardous wastes, the storage and use of pesticides, and improper disposal of commercial wastes.

Additionally, in early April, two full-time conservation officers currently stationed at the Surrey office will be redeployed to a new office in Maple Ridge. This move will improve service to communities located on the north side of the Fraser River, enabling conservation officers to respond to environmental and public safety issues in a more timely manner. The COS is currently finalizing arrangements for office space in the Maple Ridge municipal building, in the downtown core of Maple Ridge.

The process to staff the new positions is underway and expected to be completed by the end of March, resulting in a list of qualified candidates.

The ministry is also investing $1 million this year in the COS’ Commercial Environmental Investigations Unit (CEIU). The CEIU focuses on environmental compliance primarily related to commercial and industrial activities. The CEIU has eight senior investigators and a manager located in five key areas of the province – Prince George, Kamloops, Nelson, Surrey and Nanaimo – and became operational in February 2007.

Non-compliance with environmental requirements threaten human health and safety, and the province’s natural resources. Environment Minister Barry Penner encourages the public to report all poachers and polluters by calling the COS 24-hour hotline at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277), #RAPP (7277) on the TELUS Mobility Network, or by visiting the website at www.rapp.bc.ca. All tips are kept confidential.

The Ministry of Environment’s Quarterly Compliance and Enforcement Summaries can be viewed online at www.env.gov.bc.ca/main/prgs/compliancereport.html.