• About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
Tuesday, January 26, 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

Province’s lakes at risk to metal mining effluent

by Lawrence Wuest
April 4, 2018
2 min read
Province’s lakes at risk to metal mining effluent

Nashwaak River. Photo from the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.

On April 3, 2018, a National Consultation was held on an application by Northcliff Resources to dump metal mining effluent from the proposed Sisson Mine into fish bearing streams in the Upper Nashwaak Watershed. The consultation was hosted by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). At the consultation, Northcliff consultant Knight-Piésold invoked the Water Classification Regulation of New Brunswick’s Clean Water Act to maintain that lakes in the Upper Nashwaak were immune from consideration as sites for disposal of metal mining effluent.

Under questioning by several Stanley Area residents, at least eight high ranking personnel of the NB Department of Environment and Local Government (DELG) remained in stunned silence when challenged to explain how the same Water Classification Regulation, resolutely maintained as unenforceable for 15 years, could now be invoked to assure immunity of the province’s lakes to the dumping of mining effluent.

Sisson Project Manager for the province, Lee Swanson, of DELG, claimed that the province’s newly proposed water strategy would assure protection of the province’s lakes in the future. However, Swanson was unable to explain how the existing regulation’s lack of legal authority to protect the province’s pristine fish bearing streams, could simultaneously be invoked to protect the province’s lakes. The contradiction was not lost on those participating in the consultation, including representatives of ECCC and DFO.

The revelation coming out of the consultation is that the province’s lakes are vulnerable to metal mining waste disposal for the foreseeable future. Water Classification has been declared dead, and legislation on the province’s new water strategy is years away, requiring a new round of data collection and consultation. Unless the province acts quickly, it would appear that any mining company can legally apply to dump metal mining effluent into the province’s lakes, and the province lacks the legal authority to prevent it.

Lawrence Wuest is an ecologist and environmental health advisor based in Stanley, NB. 

Tags: FishLawrence Wuestmetal mining effluentmineminingNashwaakNew BrunswickSissonslider
ShareTweetSend

Related Posts

New Brunswick’s “alt-right” history is anything but new
*Opinion*

New Brunswick’s “alt-right” history is anything but new

January 23, 2021

A recent CBC news article noted that there has been a rise in “alt-right” activity in New Brunswick in recent...

*Opinion*

Finally, New Brunswick is being sued for unlawful restrictions on abortion access

January 18, 2021

This commentary was originally published by Briarpatch. On January 7, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association filed a lawsuit against the...

Axed bus routes blamed on Higgs’ refusal to accept public transportation funds
Economy

Axed bus routes blamed on Higgs’ refusal to accept public transportation funds

January 14, 2021

Maritime Bus plans to cut routes in New Brunswick due to the province's refusal to grant subsidies to the struggling...

Rent hikes and stagnant incomes leave New Brunswickers without housing this COVID winter
*Opinion*

Rent hikes and stagnant incomes leave New Brunswickers without housing this COVID winter

January 12, 2021

Imagine the shock if we were to wake to an overnight 50 per cent increase in fuel prices, making it...

Load More

Recommended

Podcast seeks to spark dialogue

Podcast seeks to spark dialogue

1 year ago
cocacolacase3

Mt. A students critical of Coke face censorship

10 years ago

Fredericton high school students take action against dress code, call for sexual assault policy

6 years ago

“The movement has to be for everybody:” Intersectional Feminism Panel at UNB

6 years 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