Water Water Discharge to 2025 and Beyond
Waste Water Discharge - Proposed extension of Mount Polley Mine waste discharge poses long-term threat to Quesnel Lake!
BC Government considers allowing pollution in Quesnel Lake to 2025 and beyond!
QUESNEL LAKE, BC – Concerned Citizens of Quesnel Lake (CCQL) are raising the alarm about a potential extension on a mine discharge permit allowing the troubled Mount Polley Mine to pump polluted water directly into Quesnel Lake. The mining company’s current wastewater discharge permit is set to expire in December 2022. But at a recent meeting of the Mount Polley Public Liaison Committee, members we were told that the BC government is considering allowing the mine to continue using the once-pristine Quesnel Lake as its mine waste dumping grounds into 2025 and beyond.
“The survival of Quesnel Lake is now in the hands of greedy industry and the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change,” said Christine McLean of CCQL. “Mount Polley’s permit for mine waste discharge into the lake should never have been approved in the first place! The discharge of wastewater into the once “Pristine Quesnel Lake” affects the fish, wildlife and community members who rely on the Lake.
“Mount Polley’s discharge permit clearly set out that the mine is to have alternative methods for discharging their waste into Quesnel Lake by December 31, 2022. Well, 2022 is here and they have done absolutely nothing to advance treatment of water on site. What they have done is wait until the final year to say they need more time,” said Christine McLean.
CCQL members note that despite continued non-compliance with the discharge permit, Mount Polley Mining Corporation has not faced fines or penalties. Rather, the company has requested – and received – multiple amendments to the permit requirements that make it easier for the mine to comply.
The Mine will restart production and operations this spring, if they are successful in this approval, they seek to continue to dump mine waste via pipeline into Quesnel Lake to 2025 and beyond, once again setting in opposition the jobs the community desperately needs and the health of the lake!
Help us tell the BC Government TO DO THEIR JOB and protect the integrity of the once Pristine Quesnel Lake! If you OPPOSE this Amendment, LET YOUR
VOICE BE HEARD send your letter / email by APRIL 1, 2022 to;
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy Mining Authorization env.miningauthorizations@gov.bc.ca
Mount Polley Mining Corporation, environmental@mountpolley.com, Box 12, Likely BC, V0L 1N0
NOTE ** The identity of any respondents and the contents of anything submitted in relation to this application will become part of the public record.
For more information, please contact:
Christine McLean | Co Ordinator,
Concerned Citizens of Quesnel Lake 250-620-3639 / 403-815-7164
Comments