Editor's Note -- ?Esdilagh (Alexandria) is one of the 6 First Nations' that comprise the Tŝilhqot’in National Government and has traditional territory at Cuisson Lake which is located in the northern part of #CaribooRD Area D as well as lands on either side of the Fraser River in #CaribooRD Areas A & I. Gibraltar Mines is also located in the traditional territory of the Xat'sull First Nation (Soda Creek Indian Band) which is one of the 4 Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw communities, the other 3 being Williams Lake, Canoe/Dog Creek and Canim Lake)
Courtesy of the Tsilhqot'in National Government:
Beginning on March 15th, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation will be taking part in an
Environmental Appeal Board virtual hearing, challenging a permit amendment issued by a Director of
the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy that authorized a 50% increase in
discharge from the Gibraltar Mine tailings pond directly into the Fraser River. This discharge has never
been subject to sophisticated water treatment; instead, the permit effectively authorizes the use of the
sensitive Fraser River for dilution of the mine effluent.
Located within the Tŝilhqot’in Territory and caretaker area of ʔEsdilagh First Nation, Gibraltar Mine is
the second largest copper-gold mine in Canada. The mine effluent is discharged via pipe into the Fraser
River just 4km downstream from the community of ʔEsdilagh, adjacent to traditional fishing sites, and
upstream from the community of Tl’esqox and numerous Indigenous communities all along the Fraser
River.
The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is calling on the Environmental Appeal Board to revoke or amend the 2019
amendment to this discharge permit, arguing that BC failed to consider our Indigenous laws and
principles in the consultation and accommodation process associated with the 2019 amended permit,
and failed to adequately protect the environment in authorizing the permit amendment
Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Troy Baptiste of ʔEsdilagh First Nation said:
"The fact that the Province of BC is permitting Gibraltar Mines Ltd. to use the Fraser River as a dumping
ground for its tailings effluent is absolutely appalling. Anything that enters the Fraser River should be of
equal or better water quality than the Fraser itself. Our long held Indigenous laws state that the Fraser
River (ʔElhdaqox in our language) should be protected from degradation. We are calling on the
Environmental Appeal Board to revoke this discharge permit and demand better mining practices from
Gibraltar Mines. Without this, our salmon and waterways will continue to be threatened.”
More Information:
• Livestream of virtual EAB hearing - http://www.eab.gov.bc.ca/hearing_schedules/index.htm
• Media Package -- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14lURUafU9322B091N1-hcmZDeLk86rL?usp=sharing
-- Media Background
-- 2019 Discharge Permit
-- Photos and maps available for use
-- Sturgeon River Law (May 2020)
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