Mountains of illegally dumped waste languish on an agricultural property on Iverson Road in the Columbia Valley to the consternation of concerned neighbours.

It was supposed to be have been removed by Fraser Valley Renewables (FVR), an Abbotsford-based company, from the property owned by Bruce Vander Wyk, by order of the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) by the deadline of May 31.

But that deadline has now come and gone.

Residents of Columbia Valley, Lindell Beach and Cultus, who live beside or under the dump site at 810 Iverson Road, are urging provincial agencies to take decisive action, order compliance, levy fines, or otherwise force the removal of the waste, which has liquids leaching into puddles around the waste.

鈥淭his non-compliance is a major concern of the Columbia Valley, Lindell Beach and Cultus Lake communities for a number of important reasons including the potential contamination of the Columbia Valley aquifer which is the source of our drinking water and also Cultus Lake,鈥� writes resident Fred Harris in a letter to the ALC.

Harris is one of the area residents advocating for an immediate dump-site cleanup, as well as heavy fines to act as a deterrent, especially since MOE has reported that the waste is leaching contaminants into the ground.

Harris fired off letters recently to the ALC, and to the Ministry of Environment, to keep the pressure up.

鈥淚t is clear that FVR and owner Bruce Vander Wyk have not had any plans or intention to remove this material from the site. It is a definite violation of the Act(s) and a civil disobedience and challenge to the authority of our government and the agencies that are tasked with protecting our environment and agricultural base.

鈥淭herefore, there is a compelling need to invoke swift and significant penalties.

鈥淥therwise, what has happened here will continue to repeat itself throughout the Province of British Columbia. I also trust that given a few truckloads have recently been removed that an extension of your deadline or any delay in the application of penalties will not be considered.鈥�

Harris also wrote to the Ministry of Environment (MOE), citing the fact MOE has 鈥渏urisdiction in this matter鈥� and has the authority to both prosecute and/or apply administrative penalties. He asked if MOE officials were planning to take any action against the property owner and Frazer Valley Renewables (FVR), if so which actions? And if not; why not?

His initial letter asked the ALC which of its enforcement tools or fines will be imposed, and when. But in the reply from ALC, Harris was told its formal response to the waste-dumping company and property owner was currently being drafted, and would follow their administrative and legal protocols for non-compliance of a remediation order.

鈥淣ote that process does take time,鈥� the ALC letter to Harris underlined, promising that further updates from the land commission would be forthcoming 鈥渂efore the end of June.鈥�

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