LandKeepers News Archive
Mine receives approval for change to environmental assessment
March 09 2009 | News Articles | Prince George Citizen
Mine receives approval for change to environmental assessment
Written by Gordon Hoekstra
Citizen staff
Monday, 09 March 2009
The Tulsequah Chief mine in northern B.C. has received an amendment for its environmental assessment certificate.
Environment Minister Barry Penner and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister Blair Lekstrom made their decision to grant the certificate amendment after considering the review led by B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office.The certificate amendment includes the construction of a barge landing facility, upgrade of a haul road of approximately eight km from the barge landing site to the mine site, and the operation of air cushion barges and towing vessels from the mine site to Juneau.
Redfern Resources’ proposed $450-million underground mine, located in northwestern B.C. about 30 kilometres from the Canada-U.S. border, will produce copper, gold, zinc, lead and sliver. The mine has approval to construct a 160-km access road from Atlin to the mine site, but has proposed barging materials and equipment on the Taku River as an alternative to building the access road. The barging proposal is estimated to cost an additional $50 million.
The B.C. Environmental Assessment Office concluded that there will not likely be any significant adverse effects if the amendment is carried out according to the commitments and mitigation measures set out in the certificate amendment.
The amendment to the provincial environmental assessment certificate contains 12 commitments that the proponent must implement throughout various stages of the project. A key commitment includes Redfern Resources must implement the aquatic and wildlife effects monitoring and management plans that are part of adaptive management to identify and address any unforeseen effects that occur during the commissioning and operation of the barge on the Taku River.
The air-cushioned barge proposal is subject to a Canadian Environmental Assessment Act screening review because of a federal Fisheries Act authorization required at the barge landing site. A decision by Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the screening is pending. The barge proposal requires permits from Alaska before it can operate. That process has not yet concluded.
The original environmental assessment certificate was issued in December 2002 and a five-year extension to the certificate was granted in September 2007.
This Entry is Not Tagged. Click here to Add Tags