• About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
Thursday, January 21, 2021
No Result
View All Result
The Brief
NB MEDIA CO-OP
Share a story
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Arts & Culture
  • Videos
  • COVID-19
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Arts & Culture
  • Videos
  • COVID-19
No Result
View All Result
NB MEDIA CO-OP
No Result
View All Result
Home Environment

Restart public review period for Sisson mine project: CCNB Action

by Stephanie Merrill
October 11, 2013
2 min read

Fredericton – CCNB Action is asking for the termination of the current public review period for the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Sisson mine project. A thorough review of the report by numerous experts concludes that the Assessment report is not complete and therefore must be returned to the proponent for additional information.

On September 30, 2013, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) released the Environmental Impact Assessment  (EIA) report prepared by Northcliff Resources for their currently proposed Sisson mine project — an open pit mine for tungsten and molybdenum mine located approximately 25km northwest of Stanley.  The release of the report triggered a 45 day public comment period, which ends October 14.

CCNB Action, with participant funding from CEAA, has hired 11 experts to review and comment on the baseline environmental conditions, the residual environmental effects, proposed mitigation measures and cumulative impacts of the project.

During the review period, it became clear that fundamental baseline information has not been reported and important modelling exercises have not been undertaken. For example:

The current design of the water treatment plant, which is the basis of long term water management on site,  is “conceptual.”  At this stage in the process, this is simply unacceptable as the proponent intends to mitigate many of the environmental effects of the project byway of this plant.

There is no standard economic cost-benefit analysis of the project. Currently, the public has no way of knowing if  the project’s benefits significantly outweigh its economics costs, let alone justify its impacts on the environment.

Surprisingly, there has been no assessment of the impact on the environment from a potential breach, small or large, of the tailings dam. It is a fact that tailings dams do fail and have done so in Canada. The implications of this, particularly on the wild Atlantic salmon population of the Nashwaak watershed, which has been recommended to be listed on the Federal Endangered Species list, needs to be considered.

The risks to human health have not been properly assessed. Important data are missing from the human health risk assessment, such as baseline data on coarse particulate matter and proper sampling area for potentially impacted residents, including Napadogan.

The data presented sampling fish habitat is not scientifically defensible; more field work is needed to be able to have a better understanding of the current baseline conditions.

“We are quite puzzled as to why CEAA would release a grossly incomplete EIA report for public comment,” says Inka Milewski, CCNB’s Science Advisor and a reviewer of air quality and public health aspects of the report. “It is very unfair to expect us, and the public, to make informed comments about such a large project without the essential information to do so.”

Ramsey Hart, the Canadian Program Director at the national organization MiningWatch Canada, has also reiterated this request. “It is the proponent’s duty to undertake the work laid out in the Terms of Reference for the project and it is our opinion that they have not adequately done that.” Hart has been a part of numerous federal reviews and has reviewed many EIA reports for mining projects in Canada. MiningWatch Canada has sent a supporting letter to CEAA.

CCNB Action is urging CEAA to restart the review process and public comment period after a complete EIA report is made available.

Tags: Conservation Council NBminingSissonsliderStephanie Merrill
ShareTweetSend

Related Posts

Sisson Mine update: milking the pandemic in New Brunswick
*Opinion*

Sisson Mine update: milking the pandemic in New Brunswick

July 25, 2020

It seems that mineral exploration companies sense the panic in the Higgs government and its desire to appear to be...

Sisson update: Todd Minerals keeps Northcliff afloat (for 5 pennies a share!!)
*Opinion*

Sisson update: Todd Minerals keeps Northcliff afloat (for 5 pennies a share!!)

February 5, 2020

Like two drunken canoeists, each with half a paddle, Northcliff Resources of Vancouver and Todd Minerals of New Zealand are...

Rural New Brunswickers talk about home through photovoice
Economy

Rural New Brunswickers talk about home through photovoice

January 21, 2020

Scarlet runners and garlic, gas flares and roadkill are just some of the subjects of more than 30 photo-stories being...

Hyping the illusion: Will a uranium mine in New Brunswick be the next Higgs genie?
*Opinion*

Hyping the illusion: Will a uranium mine in New Brunswick be the next Higgs genie?

January 9, 2020

The Higgs government in New Brunswick is desperate for a gimmick to fulfill its obligations under the constraints of the...

Load More

Recommended

Action on wetlands and watersheds in New Brunswick needs to be a priority

Action on wetlands and watersheds in New Brunswick needs to be a priority

12 months ago
evab

Mount Allison University alumna delivers compelling lecture on experiences in Gaza

9 years ago
rallypremarch1

“That pot ain’t for cooking”: Fredericton joins nation-wide solidarity night with Quebec students

9 years ago
Calling all UNB alumni to support fossil fuel divestment

Calling all UNB alumni to support fossil fuel divestment

1 year ago
NB Media Co-op

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • Calendar
  • Archives

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • COVID-19
  • Videos
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Politics
  • Rural

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In