Permit 11678 Guide and Questions
At CCQL we wanted to give you a short review of the main points from the newly amended Permit 11678. Click here for the permit
Section 1.1.1 - The monthly average rate of tailings slurry will be 55,500 m3/day, then November 2015 permit allowed 54,500m3/day. This is a 1000m3/day increase.
Section 1.1.1- The permit does allow for septic tank effluent as part of the discharge. It has been confirmed by the Ministry of Environment that the septic tank effluent will only be that created by the mine itself. No other septic tank effluent will be discharged.
Section1.2- This section provides volume details of the discharge of treated mine effluent through Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake
Maximum Annual Average
Hazeltine Creek 29,000m3/day 26,000m3/day until 31/12/2017
Quesnel Lake 52,000m3/day 29,000m3/day until 31/12/2022
Over a 5 year period this would be result in a maximum discharge of treated mine effluent into Quesnel Lake of 52,925,000 m3 or 10,585,000m3/ Year. This 5 year discharge is more than twice the amount of the original disaster volume. Yet we still don't have any idea of the long term effects of the disaster on Quesnel Lake and it inhabitants.
Section 1.2.3 -This page outlines in a table format the permitted characteristics of the discharge.
Unfortunately this page uses both mg/L- milligrams per litre and ug/L- micrograms per litre. We found this a little confusing and perhaps unnecessary. The table provides details of "Interim" levels and "Final". Although we have asked for clarification from the BC Ministry of Environment as to what Interim and Final levels mean, we are still not clear.
We believe that the "Interim" levels will be used until the Mine has satisfied Section 1.2.4 with acute toxicity testing. Regardless the BC Ministry of Environment has approved all the TAR requests from the MPMC and increased the permitted levels. This is very disappointing. CCQL will be writing a separate blog on this page shortly.
Section 2.2 -The permit suggest that there will be "no unauthorised bypass" of treatment, yet does not provide details on how bypass can be obtained by the Mine.
Section 2.8- The Final Water Management Plan will be due by 1st December 2019
Section 2.9- The permit requires a refining of the copper removal process plan, due by 1st July 2017. We will be asking why this is needed if the current water treatment plant is so efficient and will ask for a copy of this plan. An additional optimization plan is also due by 1st July 2017.
Section 2.11- A revised Communication plan is due from the Mine by 30th June 2017, which will try to provide input
Section 2.12 -A revised Terms of Reference for the Public Liaison Committee is also due by 30th June 2017
Section 3.9 provides an extensive list of the Permits Reporting Requirement. We will await the outcome of theses requirements
