British Columbia Auditor General Issues Scathing Condemnation of Province’s Inability to Protect the Public from Mining Impacts

CONTACT:
Heather Hardcastle, Campaign Director, Salmon Beyond Borders, heather@salmonstate.org, (907) 209-8486
Jill Weitz, Campaign Manager, Salmon Beyond Borders, jweitz@tu.org, (907) 957-9504

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

British Columbia Auditor General Issues Scathing Condemnation of Province’s Inability to Protect the Public from Mining Impacts

Audit Validates Concerns About B.C. Mines, Alaskans Demand Enforceable Protections and Financial Guarantees

(JUNEAU) The Auditor General of British Columbia issued on May 3, 2016 a strongly worded audit concluding that the British Columbia (B.C.) government’s “compliance and enforcement activities of the mining sector are inadequate to protect the province from significant environmental risks.” This audit validates Alaskans’ concerns about B.C.’s mining regulatory processes and lack of financial assurances that could have direct impacts on Alaska’s downstream billion-dollar industries and way of life.

Alaskans continue to demand immediate action under the Boundary Waters Treaty and the review of large-scale B.C. developments in the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk watersheds straddling the U.S./Canada border. A review by the International Joint Commission (IJC) should proceed prior to the State of Alaska finalizing any agreement on transboundary waters with the Province of B.C.

This audit confirms Alaskans’ view that B.C. is systemically unable and unwilling to address the risks mining poses to downstream renewable resources. The ongoing pollution at the Tulsequah Chief mine in the Taku watershed, the opening of Imperial Metals’ Red Chris mine in the Stikine watershed months after their Mount Polley mine disaster, and the approval of North America’s largest open-pit mine, Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell (KSM) in the Unuk watershed, 19 miles upstream from the border, are more than enough justification for Alaskans to demand immediate federal action.

The press release from the Auditor General and the full report can be found at:
http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2016/audit-compliance-and-enforcement-mining-sector

SALMON BEYOND BORDERS is a campaign driven by sport and commercial fishermen, community
leaders, tourism and recreation business owners and concerned citizens, in collaboration with Tribes and First Nations, united across the Alaska/British Columbia border to sustain our transboundary rivers, jobs and way of life.

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