Canfor has taken steps to control dust on the portions of the Morice River Forest Service Road for which it is responsible.
“We’ve completed a full calcium application on the Morice River Road up to 27km, North Road, Bymac, and Nadina Mainline out to 44km. These are the roads that Canfor is active on,” said Canfor official Michelle Ward last week.
The company is also applying water during dry conditions to aid in grading work as well as dust control.
Dust control measures follow comments about dusty conditions from local residents.
“Canfor completed the calcium application on the portion of roads that we are regular users of. Canfor has covered the cost of the work,” said Ward.
Although the road comes under the jurisdiction of the provincial forest, lands, natural resource operations and rural development ministry, it is under lease to Canfor and as such, the company is responsible for maintenance and upkeep.
Industrial use of the road has increased this year due to activity relating to preparations underway to support the start of construction next year of the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline which will supply natural gas to the LNG Canada liquefied natural gas facility at Kitimat.
Ward said Canfor, in response to dust complaints, added extra water trucks on the lower section of the road beginning in mid-June.
And she did note that Canfor’s use of the road declined for most of July when it closed its Houston mill, part of a company-wide effort to deal with high logging costs and low prices.
“We are in discussion with Coastal Gas Link to coordinate a calcium application on the road,” she said.
Use of the road has picked up this year when Coastal GasLink pipeline construction preparation activity accelerated the end of June.
The company is ramping up construction camp construction and Coastal GasLink contractors began blasting along the pipeline right-of-way in areas where rock formations are located to clear the way for laying and then burying of pipe.
The blasting is taking place along 84km of right of way starting east of Kitimat to approximately 16km north of Morice Lake, Coastal GasLink stated.
“While there will be no permanent road closures required as part of this activity, public access to the Coastal GasLink right of way and a surrounding safety zone will be restricted from approximately June 28 to Dec. 31, 2019,” the company said.
