[ad_1]
The British Columbia government allowed a decade after the outbreak of a similar storage site in one of the province’s biggest environmental disasters, which increased the height of the Polley Tailings dam by four meters.
The statement from the Minister of Mining and Environment said the additional height is to ensure that spring runoff can be managed safely.
Environment Minister Tamara Davidson and Mines Minister Jagrup Brar said their decision was informed by the Office of Environmental Assessment, which had a thorough assessment of safety issues.
In August 2014, the tailings dam of the British Columbia Canadian region opened pit gold and copper mines was abandoned in the California region of British Columbia, spilling mineral waste into nearby waterways and causing extensive environmental damage.
Get the daily national news
Get news, politics, economics and current events titles delivered to your inbox every day.
Two comments led to a change in the way tailings ponds regulated in 2016, with the government saying the proposed dam heights meet or exceed all requirements from 60 to 64 meters.
Ministers said they recognize significant concerns about the operations of the mine and since 2016, “stronger environmental standards exist.”
“The approval of this change was followed by a comprehensive technical review by experts including external engineers and consultations with the Aboriginal people,” they said.
What happened in 2014 will never happen again, their statement said.
“Our strong demands (the requirement for protecting the environment is not negotiable,” the statement said.
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
[ad_2]
Source link
