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StatementofOpposition
Permittingof“Wet”MineTailingsImpoundmentFacilities
inBritishColumbiaandB.C.‐AlaskaTransboundaryWatersheds
****
STATEMENT:We,theundersigned,stronglyopposefurtherpermittingofwetmine
tailingsstoragefacilitiesbytheB.C.MinistriesofEnergyandMines,and
Environment,andsupportotheralternativesforsafer,cleanerminingsuchasdry
stacktailingsstorage.
Recognizingtheinternationalsignificanceofintactandproductivewildsalmon
ecosystems,whicharedependentonbothhealthyriversandterrestrial
environments,wecallupontheB.C.MinistryofEnergyandMinestodenyfurther
wet‐tailingspermits,suchastheoneunderconsiderationfortheRedChrismine.
Wealsourgeanimmediateshifttosaferalternativessuchasdrystackstorage
systemsforotherproposedminesinB.C.,particularlythoseintheB.C.‐Alaska
transboundarywatersheds.
****
WhentheMountPolleymine’stailingsimpoundmentdambreachedinAugust2014,
atwentyyearoldearthendamthatwassupposedtolastforeverreleasedalmost25
millioncubicmetresoftailingsandwastewaterintoB.C.’sFraserwatershed.Thattailings
breachhasbeendescribedinthemediaasthe“greatestenvironmentaldisasterinB.C.’s
history,”andthe“largestenvironmentalminingdisasterinCanada’shistory.”Scientists
areonlybeginningtograspthemagnitudeoftheenvironmentalimplicationsofthis
disaster.Theeventdramaticallyexposedtheinherentriskofstoringmassiveamountsof
waterandminetailingsintheheadwatersofsalmonrivers,andithastriggereda
paradigmshiftinthinkingtowardssafer,cleanermining.
AnIndependentExpertEngineeringInvestigationandReviewPanelreleasedareport
onMountPolleyinJanuary2015whichfoundthatunlesssignificantchangesaremadein
thewayB.C.tailingsdamsaredesignedandmaintained,morefailurescanbeexpected.
Thereport’sprincipalrecommendationcallsforanendtowettailingsstorageand
conversiontofilteredanddewatered“drystack”tailingssystems.
Despitethisfinding,however,justdaysafterthePanel’sreport,B.C.’sMinistryof
EnergyandMinesissuedan“interimoperating”permitforawet‐tailingsstoragefacilityat
theRedChrismineinnorthwesternB.C.,intheheadwatersofthetransboundary,salmon‐
richStikineRiver.(TheinterimpermitexpiresMay4,2015.)
Page | 1 AccordingtoareportcommissionedbyImperialMetals,theparentcompanyofboth
MountPolleyandRedChris,“anyfailureoftheRedChrisimpoundmentwilllikelyhavea
muchmoresignificantenvironmentalimpactthantheMountPolleyfailure.”TheRedChris
minewillbemuchbigger,meaningitwillproduceamuchgreaterquantityoftailings.The
impoundmentdesignandgeologicalsubstructurecloselymirrorthatofMountPolley,
raisingfearsaboutitsintegrityandsafety.AndunlikeMountPolley,RedChris’tailingswill
beacidic,creatingafarbiggerenvironmentalthreat.TheMinistry’srushtoapprovethe
wettailingsstorageatRedChrisraisesmanyconcerns.
ButtheseconcernsarenotlimitedtoRedChris.Theyalsoapplytootherproposed
minesinthetransboundarywatersheds,suchasKSMintheUnukandNassRiver
watersheds,GaloreCreekintheStikinewatershed,andtotheTulsequahChiefintheTaku
RiverwatershedsouthwestofAtlin,allplanningwettailingssystems.Planstogoforward
withthisoutdatedtailingstechnologyputalldownstreamaquaticecosystemsand
communitiesdependentonthematsignificantandunnecessaryrisk.
Webelievewettailingsimpoundmentsystemsconstituteanunacceptableliabilityfor
futuregenerations.AfailurebytheB.C.governmenttoimmediatelystopfurther
constructionofwettailingsstoragefacilities,andtransitiontosaferminingalternatives,
wouldconstituteablatantdisregardofitsrecentcommitmentstoadopt“BestAvailable
TechnologyandPractices”fortailingsimpoundments.
Rationale
Wemakethisstatementbaseduponthefollowingconsiderations:
 Manywettailingsimpoundmentfacilitiesarelikelytoeventuallyfailinsomefashion,
whichwouldreleaseacomplexarrayoftoxins,acid,andheavymetalssuchasmercury,
arsenic,andleadintodownstreamecosystems;
 ThereisacloseparallelbetweenthedesignofthefailedimpoundmentatMount
PolleyandthetailingsdesignatRedChris,withbothimpoundmentshavingsubstrata
whichhasbeenidentifiedasanengineeringconcern;
 TheIndependentReviewPaneloftheMountPolleyfailurerecommended
implementationofalternativetechnologiessuchasdrystacktailingstechnologyinall
futuremines;and
 B.C.MinisterofEnergyandMinesBillBennettcommittedtoimplementallthe
Panel’srecommendations.
WethereforeasktheB.C.MinisterofEnergyandMinestoabidebyhiscommitment
tobetterminingpractices,stoppermittingwettailingsstoragesystems,andshifttosafer
alternativesthroughoutB.C.,particularlyinthecoastal,transboundarywatersheds.
Respectfully,
Page | 2 AlaskaNativeTribes:
Signers
DouglasIndianAssociation
Juneau,AK
KetchikanIndianCommunity
RichardJackson,President
FirstNationsandNativeAlaskanAssociations:
UnitedTribalTransboundaryMiningWorkGroup
Co‐chairs:RobSanderson,Jr.,SecondVicePresident,CentralCouncilofTlingitand
HaidaIndianTribesofAlaskaandCarrieJames,TribalCouncilTreasurer,Ketchikan
IndianCommunity
ChildrenoftheTakuLandProtectionSociety
ChantelleHart,President,andTakuRiverTlingitFirstNationCitizen
Whitehorse,YT
KetchikanTlingitandHaidaCommunityCouncil
RobSanderson,Jr.,President
OrganizationsandAssociations:
DavidSuzukiFoundation
JayRitchlin,DirectorGeneral,WesternCanada,and
ActingDirector,ScienceandPolicy
Vancouver,BC
RiversWithoutBorders
WillPatric,ExecutiveDirector
TroutUnlimited‐AlaskaProgram
Juneau,AK
SierraClubBC
BobPeart,ExecutiveDirector
Victoria,BC
AlaskaTrollersAssociation
DaleKelley,ExecutiveDirector
Juneau, AK
Page | 3 WestCoastEnvironmentalLawAssociation
JessicaClogg,ExecutiveDirector
Vancouver,BC
MiningWatchCanada
JamieKneen,CommunicationsandOutreachCoordinator
Ottawa,ON
ForestEthicsAdvocacy
MelyssaHudson,Campaigner
Vancouver,BC
DogwoodInitiative
WillHorter,ExecutiveDirector
Victoria,BC
WildernessCommittee
JoeFoy,NationalCampaignDirector
Vancouver,BC
FraserRiverSturgeonConservationSociety
Vancouver,BC
CanadianParksandWildernessSociety,B.C.Chapter
BrucePassmore,ExecutiveDirector
Vancouver,BC
FriendsoftheStikineSociety
StanTomandlandAnnJacob
SkeenaWatershedConservationCoalition
ShannonMcPhail,ExecutiveDirector
OldHazelton,BC
SoutheastAlaskaFishermen'sAlliance
KathyHansen,ExecutiveDirector
Juneau,AK
UnitedSoutheastAlaskaGillnetters
MaxWorhatch,President
Juneau,AK
Earthworks
AaronMintzes,PolicyAdvocate
Washington,DC
Page | 4 SkeenaWildConservationTrust
GregKnox,MEM,ExecutiveDirector
Terrace,BC
GreaterSoutheastAlaskaConservationCommunity
Sitka,AK
WatershedWatchSalmonSociety
AaronHill,ExecutiveDirector
Vancouver,BC
BeyondBoarding
TamoCampostamo,Director
FriendsofMistyFjords
Ketchikan,AK
ClayoquotAction
DanLewis,ExecutiveDirector
Tofino,BC
SalmonBeyondBorders
Juneau,AK
SaveOurSkyBlueWaters
LoriAndresen,President
Duluth,MN
SaveOurWildSalmon
Seattle,WA
ValhallaWildernessSociety
WayneP.McCrory,RPBio.,ExecutiveDirector
NewDenver,BC
FriendsoftheClearwater
GaryMacfarlane,EcosystemDefenseDirector
Moscow,ID
WaterLegacy
DiadraDecker,BoardPresident
Duluth,MN
GrandRiverkeeperLabrador,Inc.
RobertaFramptonBenefiel,VicePresidentandRiverkeeper
HappyValley‐GooseBay,Labrador
Page | 5 SoutheastAlaskaConservationCouncil
MalenaMarvin,ExecutiveDirector
Juneau,AK
Individuals:
ElizabethMay
NationalLeader,GreenParty
AdamOlsen
InterimLeader,GreenPartyofBritishColumbia
YvonChouinard
Founder,Patagonia
Dr.WadeDavis
B.C.LeadershipChairinCulturesandEcosystemsatRisk,
ProfessorofAnthropologyFacultyAssociate,LiuInstituteforGlobalIssues,
UniversityofBritishColumbia
MontyBassett
OutYonderProductions,FounderandDirector
Smithers,BC
MelanieAnastasiaBrown
CommercialFisher
Juneau,AK
RayCollingwood
CollingwoodBrothersGuidesandOutfitters
Smithers,BC
ChristopherTravis,DDS
Secretary/Treasurer,NorthCoastSteelheadAlliance‐USA
ExecutiveProducerandHost‐HookedontheFlyTVSeries
PeterTsigaris
Member,StopAjaxMine
Kamloops,BC
ReginaldDennis
TahltanNativeLinguist
MikeandStaceyAbraham
Page | 6 MickeyandBeckyKnight
FVStarship
Petersburg,AK
LeanneKnowlesandJeromeFarrell
Members,StopAjaxMineandKamloopsPhysiciansforaHealthyEnvironment
Kamloops,BC
AnneNeave
Member,KamloopsAreaPreservationAssociation
RossNichol
Kamloops,BC
BillHadgkiss
Member,KamloopsAreaPreservationAssociation,
Farmer'sMarket"TooClose"boothcoordinator,and
CommunityAdvisoryGroupalternatemember
SharonandRichardAntoniak
MembersofKamloopsAreaPreservationAssociation
MattLubov
ProfessionalSportFishingGuide
Cordova,AK
Dr.PetraKaufmann
MedicalPhysician
Winnipeg,MB
JakeMacDonald
Author
Winnipeg,MB
Dr.JillCalder
PhysicianandDirector,
KamloopsPhysiciansforaHealthyEnvironmentSociety
Kamloops,BC
JayVanOostdam
Comox,BC
MarilynPuff
Member,StopAjaxMine
Kamloops,BC
Page | 7 AprilVokey
ProfessionalFlyFishingGuide
NorthwestBC
AndrewYarmie
Member,StopAjaxMine
Kamloops,BC
JamesWentworth
MemberofKamloopsAreaPreservationAssociation
andKamloopsChapterofCouncilofCanadians
Kamloops,BC
VernaandBobCheramy
ConcernedCitizens
Kamloops,BC
DebbieWoodd
StopAjaxMinesupporter
Kamloops,BC
Scientists:
Dr.DavidSuzuki,Ph.D.
Scientist,broadcasterandauthor,
Co‐founderDavidSuzukiFoundation
Vancouver,BC
Dr.DavidWSchindler,OC,AOE,DPhil,FRS,FRSC
KillamMemorialProfessorofEcologyEmeritus
UniversityofAlberta
Dr.DanielE.Schindler
HarrietBullittEndowedChairofConservation
SchoolofAquaticandFisherySciences
UniversityofWashington
Dr.JackA.Stanford,Ph.D.
JessieM.BiermanProfessorofEcologyandDirector,
FlatheadLakeBiologicalStation,
UniversityofMontana‐Missoula
Dr.JimPojar,Ph.D.
RegisteredProfessionalBiologist(AssociationofProfessionalBiologyofB.C.)
CertifiedSeniorEcologist(EcologicalSocietyofAmerica)
Smithers,BC
Page | 8 Dr.BinduPanikkar,Ph.D.
ArcticInstituteofNorthAmerica,
UniversityofCalgary
Dr.GershonCohen,Ph.D.
ProjectDirector,CampaigntoSafeguardAmerica’sWaters
EarthIslandInstitute
Haines,AK
Dr.DonaldReid,Ph.D.
ConservationZoologist,WildlifeConservationSocietyCanada
Dr.MasonD.Bryant,Ph.D.
CertifiedFisheriesScientist,AmericanFisheriesSociety
DouglasIslandAquaticEcology
Douglas,AK
Dr.MarkS.Boyce,Ph.D.
ProfessorofEcology,andAlbertaConservationAssociationChairinFisheriesand
Wildlife,
DepartmentofBiologicalSciences,
UniversityofAlberta
Dr.CraigOrr,Ph.D.
ConservationAdvisor,WatershedWatchSalmonSociety
Vancouver,BC
Dr.G.F.Hartman,Ph.D.
Retired,DepartmentofFisheriesandOceans
Nanaimo,BC
BrianLynch
CommercialFisheryManagementBiologist,Retired,AlaskaDepartmentofFishand
Game
Petersburg,AK
DalePihlman
FisheriesBiologist,Retired,AlaskaDepartmentofFishandGame
Ketchikan,AK
Businesses:
TatoggaLodge
TeenaWright,Owner/Operator
Iskut,BC
Page | 9 TakuRiverReds
Juneau,AK
TheBoatCompany
JoelHanson,DirectorofConservationPrograms
Sitka,AK
BlueWaterAdventures
RandyBurke,Director
NorthVancouver,BC
AlaskaFlyFishingGoods
BradElfers,Owner
Juneau,AK
ChinookShoresLodge
JeffWedekind,Owner/FishingGuide
Ketchikan,AK
HookedOnJuneau
James"Abe"Tanha,Owner/Operator
Juneau,AK
OutershoresExpeditions
RusselMarkel,President
Victoria,BC
Un‐CruiseAdventures
DanBlanchard,Captain/CEO
Juneau,AK
ArtChange,Inc.
M.Jackson,ProjectDirector
Sitka,AK
SmallSystemDesignAssociates
JerrySmetzer,PrincipalAssociate
Juneau,AK
FreeReinGuestRanch
DeborahAtha,Owner
BridgeLake,BC
Page | 10