On November 5, 2015 Canaport LNG Limited Partnership plead guilty to charges under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and the Species at Risk Act and was ordered to pay a total penalty of $750,000 by the New Brunswick Provincial court.
The investigation conducted by Environment Canada into the incident disclosed that in September 2013 there were in excess of 7,500 bird mortalities resulting from direct or indirect contact with burning natural gas from a flare stack being operated at the Canaport LNG facility. Approximately 26 different species of migratory birds were killed; four of which were Canada Warblers, a threatened species listed under the Species at Risk Act.
The money from the fine will be used for a variety of different programs including a study in bird migration by Bird Studies Canada and a scholarship at the University of New Brunswick in environment and natural resources. The New Brunswick Museum will also receive $150,000 to create a DNA database from the birds that were killed.
In addition to the fine, the company has been ordered to engage in weekly monitoring of the bird migration forecast for the Bay of Fundy region. The monitoring will use the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's regional migration forecast website and take appropriate actions to mitigate mortality of migratory birds.
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