The Federal Environmental Review Panel hearings on Taseko’s New Prosperity Gold-Copper project in Williams Lake and selected Aboriginal communities concluded on Aug. 23.
Three types of public hearings – general, topic-specific and community sessions – took place over the 32-day process and were wrapped up in a final Closing Remarks session.
At the hearings, Interested Parties and others from the South Cariboo addressed the panel to represent both sides of the argument.
Local speakers supporting the mine project at the general hearings included District of 100 Mile House Councillor Spence Henderson and Cariboo Regional District chair Al Richmond (both placed strict conditions on their support); South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce board members Leon Chretien, Rick Takagi and Len Doucette; and businesspeople Pat Corbett, Nick Christianson, Allan Roberts and Frank Dobbs.
A variety of local residents and/or environmentalists addressed the panel at general sessions in opposition to the mine, including Friends of Fish Lake representative Patricia Spencer, Barbara Hooper, Steve Monk and Hugh Thomas.
Some of these speakers also commented at the subsequent community and topic-specific hearings, along with several industry, engineering and environmental experts.
Many people from the Williams Lake area and various Chilcotin communities also spoke about potential project impacts, both pro and con.
First Nations were actively involved in the hearings, including chiefs and members of the area’s six Tsilhqot’in communities – the Xeni Gwet’in, Yunesit’in, Tl’etinqox, Tsi Del Del, ?Esdilagh and Tl’esqox – as well as representatives from the Tsilhqot’in National Government.
Various speakers from northern Secwepemc First Nation communities also addressed the panel.
The vast majority of First Nation speakers voiced strong opposition to the mine.
Federal Review Panel secretariat spokesperson Lucille Jamault says the hearing record was closed following the closing remarks session, effectively ending the public hearing portion of the review.
The panel has approximately 70 days from that date to submit its report, containing its recommendations and rationale, to Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq, she explains.
“After taking into account the panel’s report, Aglukkaq will make a decision on the significance of any adverse environmental effects.
“Should the minister decide the effects are significant, the federal cabinet would make a decision on whether the significant effects are justified in the circumstances.”
Jamault notes that government decision is due 120 days from the date of the review panel’s report submission, or near the end of February.
