Too early to determine if charges to be laid, says MOE official
LAKE WOLSEY—A Ministry of the Environment (MOE) spokesperson says it’s too early to determine if charges will be laid against the owner of a pickup truck that went through Lake Wolsey, in Gordon Township, earlier this month.
“It’s too early to determine if charges will be laid,” said Steve Moggy of the MOE on Monday. “The focus right now is removing the vehicle (pickup truck) from the lake. So far there hasn’t been a spill seen.”
As reported in last week’s edition of the Manitoulin West Recorder, on Sunday, March 13, members of the Manitoulin detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to two incidents. The first incident involved a Garson man who drove his pickup truck on the thin ice of Lake Wolsey, in Gordon Township. Approximately 400 metres from shore the vehicle broke through the ice and eventually sunk.
Mr. Moggy explained the MOE regulations regarding vehicles going through the ice. In accordance with ministry regulations, every person who discharges a contaminant into the natural environment shall immediately notify the ministry if the discharge causes or is likely to cause an adverse effect. Persons responsible for a discharge of a contaminant also have a duty to mitigate any effects of the spill.
“It’s too early to determine if any charges will be laid (in this case),” said Mr. Moggy. “Right now we’re focused on ensuring that the vehicle will be removed. We have had no reports of any spill at this time. In the event that there is a spill, persons who cause or permit the discharge of a contaminant to the natural so that there is damage to the natural environment can be ordered to repair the damage.”
“The ministry is aware of the truck that went through the ice in Lake Wolsey, as well as a snowmachine that went through the ice in McGregor Bay (on the same day),” continued Mr. Moggy.
“The ministry will continue to monitor the incidents to ensure there is no spill or environmental impact as a result of these incidents and that the vehicles will be removed,” said Mr. Moggy. The MOE will continue to monitor the situation, he added.
Larry Bartlett of Bartlett Towing in North Bay will be removing the vehicle from Lake Wolsey once the ice is gone.
