Transboundary mines will affect the Unuk, By Victoria McDonald November 12, 2014
On October 13, Justine Hunter of the Canadian Globe and Mail’s wrote a damning article about the Mt Polley incident. “The reorganization in B.C. four (4) years ago led to a precipitous drop in the number of engineering inspections of tailings dams at the province’s mines. In 2010, the same year that a huge crack was reported in the dam at the Mt Polley gold and copper mine, the government’s geotechnical engineers conducted just 3 inspections across the province, down from 22 the year before. The article continues, “The company’s engineering firm of record reported a huge crack at least 10 meters in length (almost 31 feet) had been observed in the earthen dam while work was underway to raise it in 2010.” As follow up, only 2 inspections were completed in 2011. Yikes! Even with a 31 foot crack, I question whether those inspections covered a return visit on the Mt Polley dam. The engineering firm also warned that instruments required to measure water pressure behind the dam were in a state of disrepair, although the company (Imperial Metals), later said problems had been fixed. How are we to believe that instruments were repaired, when the company continued to build the dam, despite the crack? Why not just keeping building the dam since inspections are unlikely? However, Mr. Bennett opposed the 2010 re-organization of departments responsible for resource development. Norm MacDonald, an NDP mining critic, has encouraged Bill Bennett to resign, “since the province is responsible for overseeing the engineering, building and maintenance of these structures and it failed”. Mr. Bennett has assured both Canadians and Alaskans that the tailings breach does not constitute a disaster. A big run of sockeye was heading up the Fraser to spawning grounds; some of the fish will return to Quesnel Lake, fed by Hazeltine Creek which was ravaged by the tailings outflow. Although the spawners might not have been harmed, we’ll not know the results until the smolt emerge, and or return to spawn. The Red Chris mine on the Iskut River, the main tributary of the Stikine, was slated to open in September. Imperial Metals was fast forwarding work on Mt Polley so there would be sufficient funds to open Red Chris. But when the tailings dam burst, the Klabona Keepers of the Tahltan nation blockaded the road into Red Chris. Imperial Metals met with the Klabona Keepers to negotiate a right-of -way into the mine. However, when Imperial Metals did not fulfill its obligations, Klabona Keepers reinstated the blockade. Transboundary mines will affect the Unuk, Stikine and Taku, if and when the mines are opened. After Alaska decided that Bristol Bay is more important for fish and humans than for mining companies, Southeast must be granted the same protection. Our rivers need the assistance of the State Department so that Canada will not pollute our waters. It is impossible for Canadian mining companies to leak sulfuric acid into the Unuk and Nass, then comply with Alaskan clean water standards once the acid drainage crosses the border. SalmonBeyondBorders.org is an easy way to sign a petition to John Kerry and email our representatives. If Alaskans speak up, loudly and continuously, we’ll maintain our productive ecosystems. Victoria McDonald About: "I've lived in Southeast for 40 years, following transboundary mine issues since the fall of 2011." Received November 10, 2014 - Published November 12, 2014 Related Viewpoint: Viewpoints - Opinion Letters:
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