For more than a year, the Fish Lake Alliance (FLA) has been pre-
paring for this announcement. We have studied a mountain of
documents, consulted with scientific experts, and heard from local
people on a wide range of topics concerning the controversial New
Prosperity Mine proposed by Taseko Mines Ltd. We look forward
to a very open and thorough process, and feel confident that the
environmental, social, and economic arguments against this pro-
ject will convince the Panel to recommend it be rejected once and
for all.
The Panel and the public have certainly been patient while the
very complex details of this proposal emerge. The company has
consistently avoided addressing certain fundamental questions
about the viability of the project, and the Panel is still trying to get
answers to some of them.
If you would like more information or want to help us defeat this
mine, contact www.fishlakealliance.ca. Watch the media for
events, blog posts, and letters to come.
announcement that Panel Hearings
for the New Prosperity Mine pro-
posal will commence in 30 days,
amidst continued controversy over
Taseko Mines Ltd.'s refusal to pro-
vide critical information directly
requested by the Panel.
cause Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) to
drain into a massive open pit mine,
and the company's refusal to use the
results of a groundwater pumping
test from 1994, which showed high
rates of water movement in the ground between the
lake and the proposed pit. Other concerns included the
amount of uncontrolled contaminated seepage drain-
ing from the tailings into Teztan Biny, as well as con-
tamination of Tsilhqot'in food sources.
Joe Alphonse, Tribal Chair for the Tsilhqot'in Na-
tional Government. "However, it will be a difficult
process because our communities still cannot under-
stand why we have to go through all of this again,
given that this new proposal would be just as devastat-
ing for our culture and our lands as the rejected Pros-
perity proposal."
destructive project," said Roger William,
Chief of the Xeni Gwet'in, one of the six
Tsilhqot'in communities. "Besides the
threat of Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) draining
away, which was raised by Natural Re-
sources Canada, we also continue to see
serious concerns being raised by federal
and provincial government experts. These
include environmental and cultural con-
cerns such as contamination of our lakes
and streams. We are confident that like the
last Panel, this federal review will recog-
nize the serious threat that such a mine
poses in such a sacred place."
posed mine has serious environmental, cultural, and
economic risks that cannot be ignored in the Panel
review. The serious issues raised by government
experts only further prove to us that this proponent
cannot support its claims, environmental or cul-
tural. We think they should be kicked out of the
process right now."
destruction it would mean for critical traditional
lands and waters and the cultural survival of the
Tsilhqot'in people," says Chief William.