Province investigating Murray Beach trailer park after residents raise alarm

CBC News has learned the province is investigating Strang's Shore Camping, a private trailer park in Murray Beach.

The province won't respond to questions about what is under investigation, but the probe comes after residents wrote to the Department of Environment before Christmas, asking if they could get a copy of environmental studies carried out before the campsite opened about five years ago.

It turns out the department had no record of any environmental impact assessment associated with the project.

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Murray Beach, which can be found along the Northumberland Strait near theConfederation Bridge,started making headlines in December, after Health Minister VictorBoudreauhighlighted its poor water quality in an interview.

"There are some days in the summer where Murray Beach, the results are worse than Parlee Beach," Boudreau said on Information Morning Moncton in reference to the water quality tests for fecal bacteria . "So what does that tell us?''

Growing concerns from residents

Shane Banks, who lives right next door to the campsite, said he and his wife started becoming concerned last spring, when they noticed it expanding, with no work being been done to extend the septic drain field.

"It doesn't seem to me as though there is enough leaching system in place," said Banks, who operates a similar septic system on his property, as no one in the area is hooked up to municipal sewage.

Banks and other neighbours started testing their drinking water, because of concerns their well water might be getting contaminated.

He wonders if the campsite's septic installations are sufficient, and whether contaminants could be seeping into the ground and impacting his well water.

He believes the same thing could be happening to the water at the beach, and worriesthere is no consequence to developers not abiding by the rules.

"There doesn't seem to be any checks or balances in place, for us out here in the rural setting anyway," he said.

"It's like the Wild West out here. You puta development and hope for the best."

Too much development?

In his recent comments about Murray Beach, Boudreau said water quality was a separate issue from development. This came after he was asked whether he was the right person to make decisions on water quality, given his stake in a proposed megacampground in Shediac.

"These issues [development] are not in Murray Beach, so it tells me there's a broader problem," he said at the time.

"Mr.Boudreau is incorrect in this statement as there is a large seasonal campground just east of the provincial park providing services to in excess of 150 recreational vehicles," wrote other cottage owners, Brent and Sandy Conrad, in their email to the Department of Environmentin December.

"More and more developments of this type are popping up in that area," they said.

"I'm not against development," said Banks. "I mean gee, we'd like to have the jobs, we'd like to have people coming in and using the area, but at the expense of losing your drinking water or contaminating the beach?"

Clean environment act violated

The Department of Environment has indicated it has no record of the owners of Strang's Shore Camping undergoing an environmental impact assessment registration andreview.

Since 1987, the clean environment act dictates all major recreational or tourism developments in New Brunswick should register for an EIA, to help the province determine whether the project can go ahead.

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Marc Andr Chiasson, a communications officer for the department, said a campground of close to or more than 100 units, and requiring its own water supplyand sewage treatment, as is the case here, would be considered a major project.

It is not clear why the campground did not undergo the assessment, or why it has taken until now to open an investigation.

CBC News tried several times to contact the owners but did not receive a response.