North Atlantic Refining fined $100,000 for Fisheries Act violation

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. - December 20, 2013 - North Atlantic Refining Limited (NARL) of Newfoundland and Labrador was sentenced to pay $100,000 in St. John’s Provincial Court after pleading guilty to violating the Fisheries Act. The penalty includes a $25,000 fine. The remaining $75,000 will go to the Environmental Damages Fund.

The conviction followed a two-year investigation by Environment Canada’s Environmental Enforcement Directorate, initiated after receiving reports of diesel fuel near Powers Pond in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador. It was determined that fuel was being released from a storm sewer outfall discharging near Powers Pond. The source of the fuel was traced back to a manhole adjacent to the NARL bulk fuel storage facility. Samples were collected at the scene for further analysis and sent to Environment Canada’s Moncton lab where chemists successfully matched the fuel from the storm sewer outfall to the fuel in the manhole adjacent to the facility.

Subsection 36(3) of the federal Fisheries Act protects water frequented by fish from the direct or indirect deposit of any substance that is deleterious or harmful to fish. Diesel is considered deleterious to fish.

The Environmental Damages Fund is administered by Environment Canada to direct funds received as a result of fines, court orders, and voluntary payments to projects that will benefit our natural environment.

For more information, please contact:

Media Relations
Environment Canada
819-934-8008