Advocates say close monitoring is needed to limit the environmental impact of a fuel spill along Highway 1.
A tanker truck rolled over April 8 near kilometre marker 153, outside Hampton, spilling about 36,000 litres of fuel.
Highway 1 was closed in both directions for several days following the crash.
The Department of Environment and Local Government and remediation contractors took steps to mitigate potential impacts on the public, the environment and nearby infrastructure.
Beverly Gingras, executive director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, said the government’s response to the spill was effective, but added that continuous monitoring will be necessary to avoid serious environmental impacts.
Gingras said soil contamination, as well as impacts on waterways such as the Hammond River and nearby drinking water wells, are among the main concerns given the volume of fuel involved.
“It’s really hard to tell how much of the fuel has actually gone into the streams, so monitoring is going to be very important, and I hope that they are doing that,” she said.
RELATED: UPDATE: Highway 1 eastbound lane reopens after truck crash
RELATED: Detours remain on Highway 1 eastbound
RELATED: UPDATE: Highway 1 westbound reopens, eastbound still closed
According to an April 15 social media post by the Hammond River Angling Association, officials confirmed that some of the spilled fuel entered the upper portion of Whalen Brook, a tributary of the Hammond River, during the initial accident.
The association said the release — identified as gasoline — was quickly contained by Pario Engineering and Environmental Sciences, a company contracted by the organization responsible for the spill. Mitigation measures included containment booms, silt fences, absorbent pads, temporary dams and a vacuum truck to remove any visible sheen.
The association said the Department of Environment and Local Government indicated the mitigation efforts have been effective and officials are confident no fuel moved beyond the containment boom on Route 860.
Gingras said that if the fuel had reached the Hammond River, it could have threatened Atlantic wild salmon, an endangered species in New Brunswick, as well as other organisms.
She said this type of contamination can seriously affect aquatic species by disrupting key biological processes.
“It’s a very serious issue, and I think the government appears to be handling it as a very serious issue,” Gingras said.
The Hammond River Angling Association said Pario Engineering is developing a long-term surface water and soil monitoring plan, as well as an ecological assessment of the site and surrounding tributaries.
The association added it will conduct its own independent surface water monitoring and sampling through the 2026 season. That work will include ongoing water quality monitoring in the affected Hammond River tributary and downstream sections of the river.
