The federal government is expected to make a decision within days as to whether another environmental assessment is required for Taseko Mines’ (TSX:TKO) massive copper-gold Prosperity project near Williams Lake.
Speaking to Business in Vancouver, Taseko spokesman Brian Battison said the company expects the government to require the company to undergo another assessment.
“We think one is required because we’re proposing a certain amount of tonnage per day, which puts us over the threshold of environmental assessments,” said Battison. “They will come to that same conclusion too.”
Last year, the project was put on ice after former federal environment minister Jim Prentice rejected the company’s proposal to drain two lakes to build the open-pit mine.
Taseko, which operates the Gibraltar mine near Williams Lake, has since re-tooled its proposal for the project to protect the lake, adding some $300 million to its cost, and re-named it ‘New Prosperity.’
That still hasn’t satiated environmental and First Nations groups, however, which continue to argue that the mine would destroy critical habitat and could impact nearby fish populations.
On Wednesday, the Tsilhqot’in National Government issued a statement commemorating the one-year anniversary since the mine was rejected, and further outlining a number of reasons why it believes the mine project will be shut down once again.
Battison said it’s important to remember the company has found a way to save Fish Lake, the original point of contention, and the project would generate thousands of jobs and contribute significantly to federal and provincial coffers.
But the question remains as to what type of environmental assessment Taseko will have to undergo.
Battison believes the project will be subject to a comprehensive study not a second review panel.
A review panel, which Taseko was subjected to the first time around, would require multiple days of hearings and could be both financiallyand politically costly.
Battison said it would be unusual for the federal government to require a second review panel assessment, given that the company has re-jigged the project to save Fish Lake.
When asked if the company would continue with the process should a review panel assessment be required, Battison couldn’t offer a definitive answer.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency said Prosperity marks the first time a project has been re-submitted for an assessment after having been rejected.
A decision regarding the next assessment is expected on or before November 7.
For more about Prosperity, check out Business in Vancouver’s ‘Chasing Prosperity’ series (issues 1101-1104; November 30 – December 27, 2010.)
Joel McKay
@jmckaybiv