Lark Harbour town council issues letter to officials after no commitment to develop a road to a stranded cargo ship

Mayor Wade Park says the town met with officials on March 15th and they were told that as soon as the land application was submitted to crown lands and approved there would be construction crews on site. 

The town of Lark Harbour has fired off a letter to officials involved in the removal of 1.7 million litres of fuel aboard a stranded cargo ship in Cedar Cove. The MSC Baltic III ran aground on February 15th after losing power. There is too much structural damage done to the ship for it to be safely towed away. High winds and weather in the area have hampered efforts by sea so a plan to develop an existing ATV trail into a road was needed to get to the ship by land. Lark Harbour Mayor Wade Park says the town, fish harvesters and various groups are not pleased  to now be told that MSC will not commit to the road to assist the operation. The town met with officials on March 15th and Park says they were told that as soon as the land application was submitted to crown lands and approved there would be construction crews on site.  He says to think this operation can be completed without this road is not feasible. It has to be calm on the water to be able to bring people to and from the ship and Park feels the road is the only option to move forward. He says the land has been approved and there are grave concerns there may be an environmental disaster. Park says the fuel on ship has not moved and is not on land. He says if that fuel is leaked and the harbour becomes polluted, the  town is finished, fishery, coastline, tourism, and more.

Bayfm News has reached out to the Coast Guard for a comment.