Washington state legislature sends letter to Premier John Horgan, saying tailings dam breach within 100 kilometres of the state’s border could damage rivers and fisheries
This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy.Lawmakers in Alaska and Washington state are renewing calls for British Columbia to strengthen its mining regulations to protect shared waterways.
The disaster sent more than 20 million cubic metres of mining wastewater into the surrounding waterways and it looms large for the U.S. lawmakers. Copper Mountain’s chief operating officer, Don Strickland, said in an interview the concern is based on the assumption that the mine’s dam is not safe.“It’s not based upon the facts and the data that we’ve put a lot of effort into making sure that it is safe, and protection of that dam is very important to us.”
B.C. sets bonds based on site-specific assessments and the amounts reflect outstanding reclamation and closure obligations, the Mines Ministry said in a statement. The chief permitting officer may increase or decrease the amount of any security based on the risks at any time, it added. In southeast Alaska, state Rep. Dan Ortiz said his constituents are concerned that wild salmon are already under pressure, while tailings dams continue to be approved in B.C. at the headwaters of shared waterways.“From our perspective, it’s all downside and nothing good,” he said in an interview. “That’s not to say ... the Canadian people don’t have the right to develop the resources. It’s just we just wish that there would be some protections put in place our interests in fishing and tourism.
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