By Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun July 2, 2010
VANCOUVER — The adverse environmental impacts from a proposed copper-gold mine near Williams Lake are too large to be overcome by the tradeoffs suggested by the mine's proponents, a federal review panel reported Friday.
A Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency panel reviewing Taseko Mining's $800 million Prosperity project makes no recommendation to federal cabinet to reject or approve it.
The company's plan involves the elimination of Fish Lake in favor of a tailings pond for the mine, as well as creation of an artifical lake as compensation.
But the panel says that the project will have “a significant adverse cumulative effect” on grizzly bear populations in the South Chilcotin region, upon fish and fish habitat, and upon traditional aboriginal use of the area by the Tsilhqot'in peoples.
The panel also challenges virtually all of the assumptions made in December 2009 in favor of the project by the British Columbia government in its own environmental assessment, stating that the province had inadequate information upon which to base its decision.
The panel report now goes to federal cabinet for review. A final decision on the project is expected later this year.
ssimpson@vancouversun.com
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