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Study says New Prosperity Mine Would Cost Taxpayers Millions in Road Costs

FONV issued a News Release today to inform the public that a study commissioned by FONV estimates that road up-grades and additional maintenance costs would cost taxpayers at least $42.2 million over the projected twenty year life-span of the proposed New Prosperity Mine in B.C.'s Chilcotin region and an additional $10 million if the mine operated over thirty three years according to a report released by Friends of the Nemaiah Valley (FONV),  Council of Canadians Williams Lake and The Fish Lake Alliance. 

"Potential access road construction and maintenance...... are not included in the feasibility assessments and cost projections advanced by Taseko Mines Ltd.  It is herein assumed, therefore, that these costs would be borne by the Province of BC and, as such, would be paid through some form of public taxation,” says the report prepared by Geotechnical Engineer, Don MacKinnon, M.Eng., P.Eng.

Estimated costs included in the report cover:
  • construction and maintenance costs for the 89 km of public access road;
  • upgrades to the existing 88 km of paved BC Highway 20 between Williams Lake and Lee's Corner and
  • road upgrades to a standard that would allow year-round transport of mine concentrate using B-train trucks (7 or 8 axles) loaded with 40 tonnes of mine concentrate. This cost is estimated at $26.2 million with an annual operating and maintenance expenditure over the 20 year period at $0.8 million/yr.”

The proposed New Prosperity Mine is highly controversial and widely opposed by First Nations, a coalition of environmental organizations, and local citizens groups.  It lies within an area of proven aboriginal rights to hunt, trap and trade.

“This is just one more reason why this mine should not be built” says David Williams, President of FONV.  “That such a disaster in the making should be subsidized by the taxpayer to the tune of many millions of dollars is simply unacceptable. FONV has commissioned the MacKinnon report so that the public and the federal review Panel can be properly informed before decisions are made.”

"Moreover, safety of the public is potentially at risk if this mine were permitted to proceed without the needed upgrades, including all those who recreate in the Teztan Biny, Taseko Lakes and Chilko Lake areas."

The mine, as currently designed, would already completely destroy Little Fish Lake (Yanah Biny) and most of Fish Creek, an important trout spawning area.

                                                         

Posted by: Admin. Monday Feb 04, 2013 10:14
Categories: Taseko | Tags: environment, Mining, Prosperity Mine, Research

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