Healthy lakes destined as dumping grounds for mining companies

[Mimas]

Ottawa's attack on the environment continues.

Trout Pond and an unnamed lake near Buchans in central Newfoundland were approved last month to serve as dumping grounds for the tailings from the company's Duck Pond copper-zinc operation.

"It is precedent-setting across the country," said Joan Kuyek, national co-ordinator with MiningWatch Canada, based in Ottawa.

The reclassification of the two lakes in Newfoundland marks the first time since then that bodies of water have been allowed to be used as tailing waste impoundment areas.

http://www.pentictonherald.ca/CPstory.php?cpid=614062

[Canuck E Stan]

Ottawa's attack on the environment continues.

Trout Pond and an unnamed lake near Buchans in central Newfoundland were approved last month to serve as dumping grounds for the tailings from the company's Duck Pond copper-zinc operation.

"It is precedent-setting across the country," said Joan Kuyek, national co-ordinator with MiningWatch Canada, based in Ottawa.

The reclassification of the two lakes in Newfoundland marks the first time since then that bodies of water have been allowed to be used as tailing waste impoundment areas.

http://www.pentictonherald.ca/CPstory.php?cpid=614062

And your proposal? Or are you just a armchair critic that has no idea what should be done,but just likes the idea of critisizing.

[Mimas]

Ottawa's attack on the environment continues.

Trout Pond and an unnamed lake near Buchans in central Newfoundland were approved last month to serve as dumping grounds for the tailings from the company's Duck Pond copper-zinc operation.

"It is precedent-setting across the country," said Joan Kuyek, national co-ordinator with MiningWatch Canada, based in Ottawa.

The reclassification of the two lakes in Newfoundland marks the first time since then that bodies of water have been allowed to be used as tailing waste impoundment areas.

http://www.pentictonherald.ca/CPstory.php?cpid=614062

And your proposal? Or are you just a armchair critic that has no idea what should be done,but just likes the idea of critisizing.

My proposal? Don't dump waste in healthy lakes! Other mining companies don't do it, I don't see why this one should be allowed to. Now all the rest will follow saying that "See you let them do it. Why can't we?"

[August1991]

From link above:

Chris Doiron, chief of mining for Environment Canada, said the federal government's regulations allowing mining companies to dump waste into water were meticulously assembled and rank among the most stringent in the world.

"There are some that are philosophically opposed to the use of fish-bearing waters for any purpose at all," Doiron said.

"What needs to be borne in mind is that fundamentally, any such project that moves forward does so under very strict regulatory requirements that, among other things, preclude the possibility of a loss of fish habitat as a result of the project."

Fish in the two affected Newfoundland lakes were moved to other basins and environmental improvements have been implemented on an adjacent brook that was ravaged by previous logging operations, Doiron said.

Companies must also post a security bond to ensure that any future cleanups, should protective measures such as dams fail, would be covered, he said.

It's not clear to me why the federal government is involved. Shouldn't the Newfoundland government decide this?

I know Quebec faces a graver and widespread problem from famers using phosphorous and the run off into lakes. Of course, the farm lobby is a difficult opponent.

[Mimas]

From link above:

Chris Doiron, chief of mining for Environment Canada, said the federal government's regulations allowing mining companies to dump waste into water were meticulously assembled and rank among the most stringent in the world.

"There are some that are philosophically opposed to the use of fish-bearing waters for any purpose at all," Doiron said.

"What needs to be borne in mind is that fundamentally, any such project that moves forward does so under very strict regulatory requirements that, among other things, preclude the possibility of a loss of fish habitat as a result of the project."

Fish in the two affected Newfoundland lakes were moved to other basins and environmental improvements have been implemented on an adjacent brook that was ravaged by previous logging operations, Doiron said.

Companies must also post a security bond to ensure that any future cleanups, should protective measures such as dams fail, would be covered, he said.

It's not clear to me why the federal government is involved. Shouldn't the Newfoundland government decide this?

Because it is the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans that did it. The chief of mining at Environment Canada can say anything he wants. Health Canada used to say that smoking was not harmful to human health. With some lobbying and political direction, federal political appointees can say anything you want them to.

Would you buy a house next door and drink the water from the well? Besides there are rivers nearby where Atlantic salmon spawn and you never know when the little ones will end up on your plate. Anyway, the act that banned this previously is a federal act, so that's why the feds are involved.

[sharkman]

I'm getting tired of all the nonsense leveled at the Tories. They've been in power for several months and environmental activists think they are the great Satan. The Liberals, whom as I've pointed out before, ignored their responsibilities to the Kyoto agreement for over a decade, and it's the Tories who are hated. Whatever.

[B. Max]

My proposal? Don't dump waste in healthy lakes! Other mining companies don't do it, I don't see why this one should be allowed to. Now all the rest will follow saying that "See you let them do it. Why can't we?"

The fact is we don't know the conditions around this mine. The rest can say what they want, each mine will likely be accessed on the basis of its own conditions.

[geoffrey]

The real fact behind all of this... I doubt if Rona or Stephen specifically decide the environmental approvals of various operations.

This isn't a CPC issue, this is a deparmental administrative thing.

Plus, it's Newfoundland's business. If they can't deal with their own environment, in an area that's under provincial jurisidiction then really their provincial government is a complete and utter failure.

92A. (1) In each province, the legislature may exclusively make laws in relation to

( a ) exploration for non-renewable natural resources in the province;

( b ) development, conservation and management of non-renewable natural resources and forestry resources in the province, including laws in relation to the rate of primary production therefrom; and

( c ) development, conservation and management of sites and facilities in the province for the generation and production of electrical energy.

Constitution Act, 1867

[B. Max]

The real fact behind all of this... I doubt if Rona or Stephen specifically decide the environmental approvals of various operations.

This isn't a CPC issue, this is a deparmental administrative thing.

Plus, it's Newfoundland's business. If they can't deal with their own environment, in an area that's under provincial jurisidiction then really their provincial government is a complete and utter failure.

92A. (1) In each province, the legislature may exclusively make laws in relation to

( a ) exploration for non-renewable natural resources in the province;

( b ) development, conservation and management of non-renewable natural resources and forestry resources in the province, including laws in relation to the rate of primary production therefrom; and

( c ) development, conservation and management of sites and facilities in the province for the generation and production of electrical energy.

Constitution Act, 1867

Which is one of the reasons I support Ted Morton.

[jbg]

Ottawa's attack on the environment continues.

Trout Pond and an unnamed lake near Buchans in central Newfoundland were approved last month to serve as dumping grounds for the tailings from the company's Duck Pond copper-zinc operation.

"It is precedent-setting across the country," said Joan Kuyek, national co-ordinator with MiningWatch Canada, based in Ottawa.

The reclassification of the two lakes in Newfoundland marks the first time since then that bodies of water have been allowed to be used as tailing waste impoundment areas.

http://www.pentictonherald.ca/CPstory.php?cpid=614062

And do you propose to hire and pay for the additional unemployed Newfoundlanders?