Government agencies are at odds whether the 300 cubic meters of coal spilt in a coastal village of Agno is polluting the village marine resources, and pointed at each other which should spearhead the clean-up of the affected area.
 Provincial Board Member Alice Pulido called for a committee hearing on Friday to decide on what to be done about the coal spilt by LCT Eisner on December 18 last year when it ran aground at sitio Talisay in Abagatanen village in Agno.
 Earlier, Governor Victor Agbayani has given the barge owner up to March 20 to tow the barge and to clean the area or will sue the shipping line. He said “the meter is running out of them” and that the provincial government was assessing the willingness of the owner to assist the community in cleaning the area.
 But during the committee hearing three days before the deadline, the owners have not initiated any clean-up yet.
The government agencies concerned discussed if they should already d o the clean-up before the coal does more damage to the marine resources. But they could not agree among themselves which agency should head the activity.
Worse, they could not agree if indeed the coal was detrimental to the marine resources and the health of the people.
Remy Jimenez, a chemical engineer of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources environmental management bureau, told the body that coal was “inert material which is not harmful if there is no burning action. I negate published (stories) that it will affect the environment,” she said.
She explained that heavy metals will leach only from coal if there it is in contact with acidic solutions and that seawater is not acidic.
The provincial board members got annoyed with Jimenez’ comments. Pulido asked her if she has gone to the affected site recently when the fishermen are already complaining of low fish catch, bad smell emanating from the barge and children suffering from skin diseases.
Jimenez said she was there last February 1 and that she saw no pollution there, except the disturbance of marine habitats and effects on aesthetics of the area.
Board Member Marlyn Ugaban likewise reprimanded Jimenez, saying her comments could be used by the barge owners against the claim of the provincial government that the coal was causing pollution in the coastal area.
Silverio Ramos, 46, a fisherman from Abagatanen village, testified that contrary to Jimenez’ report, coal pollution has driven away coral fishes and that little fishes are seen dying in the area.
Another fisherman, Jerry Nazarito,35, said a stinky odor emanates from the barge at certain times of the day.
As to which agency should spearhead the clean-up, the agencies pointed at each other.
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Celso Salazar said it was the Coast Guard which is tasked with cleaning up marine pollution, but that he was willing to assist in the clean-up.
But Commander Lynd on Cendreda of the Philippine Coast Guard based in Sual, Pangasinan, said the coast guard was in charge only of areas not covered by municipal waters which is up to 15 kilometers from the shore.
The local government of Agno, represented by legal consultant Honorato Rosete, said the ship owners “were not willing to have other people clean-up the area because they may attribute sickness (they may acquire) to the coal and ask the company for damages.”
Mayor Letecia Rosete, in a letter, said the local government was willing to cooperate to clear the area of foreign matters because it was the national government which has technical resources at their command.