The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will not be pursuing a complaint against Abbotsford resident Gene Drader.
Last week, a fisheries officer and a habitat biologist met with Drader to discuss the anonymous complaint, which alleged that residue and seepage were coming from Drader’s property and flowing into the nearby Fraser River.
After inspecting the area, the officers informed Drader that they would not take any further action on the complaint.
Neither the fisheries officer nor the habitat biologist would comment on the issue.
Drader said he’s glad the fisheries have cleared up the matter.
“I feel good that there’s no problem,” he said, adding it’s just another issue to have to deal with.
Drader is involved in an ongoing legal battle with the city of Abbotsford regarding his property on Marsh McCormick Road, off Bradner Road.
He has been bringing in dump truck loads of fill to shore up a steep bank on his 10-acre rural property, without a city permit, which Drader says he does not need.
“This (the decision) is confirming that the material I’m bringing in is clean fill, there’s not going to be any residue.”
His actions come after more than 16 years of litigation with the City of Abbotsford. He has argued in court that the city diverted water onto his property, destabilizing the slope and causing landslides.
In 2001, the parties reached an out-of-court settlement.
However, more flooding and damage have occurred, causing both sides to go back to court on several occasions.
