A gas station in Saskatchewan has been fined $27,000 after pleading guilty to environmental violations this week.
Blackhawk’s Gas, located on the Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Saskatchewan provincial court, according to a press release from CNW, a Canadian newswire service.
The company was fined $25,000 for failing to comply with an Environment Canada enforcement officer’s order and an additional $2,000 for “not having a compliant emergency plan and for failing to perform required inspections.”
An environment officer issued a compliance order to Blackhawk’s Gas on Sept. 9, 2013. The order related to violations to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act’s storage tank regulations. The company was given until Nov. 19 of that year to fix the violations.
“A follow-up inspection revealed that most of the measures outlined in the EPCO (Environmental Protection Compliance Order) had not been implemented,” the news release stated.
The company’s name was added to the Environmental Offender’s Registry following Wednesday’s conviction and the court ordered Blackhawk’s Gas to perform an environmental audit, repair deficiencies and prepare an emergency plan.
The $25,000 fine is the mandatory minimum penalty under the environment protection act, according to CNW. The fines will be directed to the Environmental Damages Fund.
The Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation is located about 60 kilometres southwest of Prince Albert.
