Bill Bennett travels to Ottawa to push New Prosperity By Sean Kolenko - Prince George Citizen - January 14, 2014 In early December, Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett vowed to travel to Ottawa and speak with federal politicians to highlight the importance of developing Taseko Mines (TSX:TKO) controversial New Prosperity project for the economy of British Columbia. On January 13, he made good on that promise. Bennett spent a day on Parliament Hill and met with a handful of high-profile ministers including Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver, Minister of Labour Kellie Leitch and Minister of Industry James Moore. The meetings, some more than one hour long, were positive, said Bennett. There was a good level of understanding of the project and a good understanding of how difficult it is to build a mine in todays world, said Bennett, reached on the phone in Toronto where he travelled as part of a delegation with members of the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia to meet with investors and Ontario-based mining executives. I wanted to walk away believing they understood the project as well as I do. I believe this mine can be built in a safe, environmentally sustainable way. Not all, however, agree with Bennetts take on the environmental innocence of New Prosperity, a large-scale copper-gold deposit located 125 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake. The embattled project has been rejected twice in the past three years by independent review panels because of environmental concerns. In 2010, a federally appointed panel rejected the project, then known as Prosperity, because Taseko claimed it had to drain nearby Fish Lake in order to build a tailings pond. Ottawa followed suit, claiming the environmental damage was too severe to endorse. B.C., on the other hand, approved the project because of the revenue the mine would generate. Undeterred, Taseko then re-designed its mine plan and moved the proposed tailing pond two kilometers upstream, saving Fish Lake. The change, which Taseko claimed would cost the company and additional $300 million and push the total price tag of New Prosperity north of $1 billion, did little to quell the doubts of a second review panel, however. In a lengthy report released on October 31, the panel once again declined to support the mine, claiming, among other factors, that too much liquid from the tailings pond would seep into Fish Lake. Taseko has challenged those findings, accusing the panel of using incorrect mine design in its deliberations. The company announced it would seek a judicial review of the environmental assessment if the federal government doesnt rule in its favour. The federal government has 120 days from the release of the report to make its final decision. Opposition to New Prosperity has been heated. The Tsilqotin National Government (TNG), a council representing five First Nations communities in the Cariboo region, has routinely countered Tasekos attempts to advance the mine. Marilyn Baptiste, a councillor with the Xeni Gwetin First Nations government and member of the TNG, told Business in Vancouver that Bennetts visit to the capital shows no respect for the opinions of First Nations in the Cariboo, especially considering both review panels have echoed their fears. The province is being very disrespectful. Two independent panels have said no, said Baptiste. We have to start thinking beyond this project. Maybe then we can work together. I think thats better than the province trying to just push this through politically. Bennett acknowledged his visit would not repair the governments fractious relationship with TNG members on this issue, but said it is his job to do what he feels is best for B.C. Opposition is an expected part of resource projects, he said, but opposition isnt reason enough to fold the tent and go home. I am not lobbying on behalf of one company. I am lobbying on behalf of the people of B.C. and the people of the Cariboo, said Bennett, noting Premier Christy Clark also supported his trip. Everyone can see we need the jobs and we need jobs that pay well. We have a lot of work to do with the Tsilqotin people, Bennett continued. The province has a lot of work to do on engagement. I am concerned about that. But I have to do what I think is right for the province. Neither Oliver, nor Leitch could be reached immediately for comment. New Prosperity, by the numbers: Estimates peg the deposit as containing 5.3 billion pounds of copper and 13.3 million ounces of gold New Prosperity would produce an estimated $5.52 billion in tax revenue for the provincial government and $4.3 billion for the federal government The mine is expected to generate $11 billion in GDP and 57,000 person years of employment over a 20-year lifespan Taseko has spent $120 million on engineering work on the project since 1994. If built, the company anticipates spending an additional $60 million on detailed designs for the tailings pond and other components of the project Source BIV archives The Williams Case: The Tsilqotin National Government has argued that New Prosperity is located on its traditional land, a 4,000-kilometre area west of Williams Lake. Developing New Prosperity, according to the Tsilqotin, would infringe on its aboriginal rights and title. Taseko has rejected that assertion, claiming that New Prosperity is on Crown land. In 2007, the dispute, known as the Williams Case, was heard in BC Supreme Court. The court did not grant the Tsilqotin title, but did rule the Tsilqotin had rights to hunt in the area. The ruling was challenged in the BC Court of Appeal, which upheld the decision. The case was heard in the Supreme Court of Canada in November. No decision has yet been made. Source: BIV archives. biv/article/20140114/BIV0108/140119960/bill-bennett-travels-to-ottawa-to-push-new-prosperity
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 02:04:34 +0000
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