It’s déjà-vu for Fish Lake. The federal government is now accepting public comments for an environmental assessment of Taseko’s “New Prosperity” mine. Sound familiar? A previous federal environmental assessment found that the proposed gold and copper mine near Williams Lake would cause irreparable damage. So why is a questionable project back on the front burner? Take Action.

Taseko Mines Ltd.’s original proposal for an open pit mine near Williams Lake was rejected in November 2010 by former federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice, following a scathing environmental assessment that concluded the mine would cause irreparable damage to First Nations rights, as well as to fish stocks and at-risk grizzly populations.

One year later, in November 2011, Ottawa accepted a second open pit mine proposal from Taseko for environmental review. The company’s first proposal would have turned Fish Lake – home to 80,000 rainbow trout and once featured on a B.C. tourism brochure – into a toxic tailings pond. The proposal under current review would see Fish Lake rendered unusable for up to 33 years. Little Fish Lake, which is crucial to the ecosystem that supports the unique trout population, would be destroyed.

Click here to submit a comment to the federal environmental assessment until February 22.

Read our press release.

“There is something seriously wrong with our assessment process when a company like Taseko can simply re-submit a mining proposal after it has been soundly rejected,” said Sierra Club BC Executive Director George Heyman. “It would be a far better use of time and money to focus on mining proposals that are more environmentally appropriate and have the support of First Nations.”

The proposed mine is on the traditional lands of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation, a member of the Tsilhqot’in National Government, which won a court case recognizing its rights to the area and is staunchly opposed to the mine. Read Chief Marilyn Baptiste’s letter in the Vancouver Sun.

Changes to the federal Fisheries Act allow metal mining corporations to use Canadian lakes to dispose of the millions of tonnes of toxic waste rock and tailings they generate.  Little Fish Lake would be Canada’s fifth pristine natural water body authorized for destruction under this loophole, which was originally introduced solely to allow mines already approved and in existence to complete their economic life cycle.

Sierra Club BC and other groups are asking Ottawa to close the legislative loophole that allows destruction of Canada’s freshwater bodies for toxic mine tailings, and to ensure the intent of our Fisheries Act is no longer undermined.

Take Action.