CONTAMINATION FEAR FROM BPL FUEL SPILL

North Andros residents concerned over health impact to groundwater

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS fear the groundwater in Nicholls Town, North Andros, has been contaminated with diesel, potentially harming the community’s health after a Bahamas Power & Light pipeline leaked large quantities of fuel.

BPL did not report the leak to the public, and officials would not discuss the status of remediation efforts yesterday, citing ongoing litigation.

Daran Corporation Holdings is suing the power company, alleging its property was contaminated with diesel following the spill.

“BPL had a leak of diesel on their North Andros Power Station, and

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Lawsuit Cl Aims Serious Hea Lth Risks From Diesel

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A LAWSUIT accuses Bahamas Power and Light of failing to inform the public about the “serious health risks” associated with a diesel spill that has contaminated the groundwater in an area of Nicholls Town, North Andros.

The legal action alleges

BPL failed to prevent “thousands of gallons of pure diesel being discharged into the soil, bedrock and local water table”.

The lawsuit says BPL has not revealed the amount of diesel spilt from its pipeline, how much oil is in the groundwater and when the fuel would be completely

SEE PAGE THREE A HOLE dug on private property near a BPL facility in North Andros shows wha appears to be fuel or oil in the water. Residents of the area are concerned after a pipeline leak that the water table may be contaminated.

W ILCHCOMBE: VIOL ENCE BILL ADV ICE CONSIDERED

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunmedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe vowed to consider the recommendations of women’s rights groups during a consultative meeting about the Protection Against Violence Act yesterday. Whether the legislation was rushed through Parliament remained subject to debate, with