The B.C. government said it ticketed the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club (RSC) for failing to report a diesel spill until several days after one of its snow groomers fell through an icy lake on Frisby Ridge last December.
The Ministry of Environment and Parks told Black Press Media by email Monday, July 21, that RSC did not immediately disclose to the province that a snowcat had become stuck about 12 feet deep in Frisby's Summit Lake last winter and leaked diesel.
"The Ministry was not notified until several days later, and the club received a violation ticket for failing to report the spill," the province's statement said.
Still, it echoed RSC's estimate shared last week with Black Press Media that "tens of litres" of diesel had entered the lake due to the vehicle ingesting water.
The ministry said it first logged the incident on Dec. 7, 2024, which it noted was the day RSC managed to fully recover the snowcat from the lake, "but environmental assessments were delayed due to ice cover."
It added that with remediation work now happening July until September, RSC continues to collaborate with a qualified environmental professional who will lead its monitoring and mitigation efforts.
"This includes water sampling, visual inspections for sheen, and assessment of hydrocarbon presence," the ministry said, adding it "remains committed to ensuring appropriate cleanup and protecting public and environmental health."
Provincial oversight will remain throughout the remediation process, with a final assessment and "end of spill report" to be reviewed this fall following summer monitoring.
"Out of caution, swimming and drinking from Summit Lake are not recommended at this time," the ministry advised. "Further sampling results and mitigation progress will inform any change in these advisories."
