Investigation launched after birds killed by flare at N.B. gas plant
by The Canadian Press
Canaport liquefied natural gas terminal manager said he reporter deaths to Environment Canada
SAINT JOHN, N.B.—An investigation is underway after thousands of birds were killed or injured when they flew towards a large flare at the Canaport liquefied natural gas terminal in Saint John, N.B.
Fraser Forsythe, a manager at the facility, said he reported the deaths immediately to Environment Canada after he became aware the migrating shorebirds were being burned or singed by the flare.
He says the agency has been probing the causes of the incident since the report.
Forsythe said the latest estimate is that about 7,500 migrating birds died while the company was burning off excess gas at the facility.
Forsythe says the plant is in the middle of making changes to equipment at the facility to reduce the amount of flaring, but completion of the project is still several weeks away.
He says that until then the company can’t reduce its schedule of flaring because that would pose safety risks.
