The B.C. government has created new, relaxed rules for the
mining industry that allow exploration companies to log and road-build in
designated mountain caribou habitat that is off-limits to forestry
companies, BC environmental groups revealed today.
“We have one rule for forestry companies and another rule for mining
exploration companies,” said Wildsight Executive Director John Bergenske.
“B.C.’s antiquated mining act must not be allowed to jeopardize the
promising mountain caribou recovery plan that was announced two years ago.”
In 2008, the BC government’s Mountain Caribou Recovery Implementation Plan
designated 2.2 million hectares in southeast BC as critical habitat for
mountain caribou recovery, and put the land off-limits to logging and
road-building. In December, the government issued an exception to that rule,
giving mining exploration companies permission to log and road-build in
caribou habitat–without oversight by a qualified professional or approval
from the Environment Ministry.
Mountain caribou, also known as reindeer, are featured on the Canadian
quarter and are red-listed (endangered) in B.C. The population of BC
mountain caribou –the only type of caribou that subsists in winter on
lichens found on mature trees–has declined to about 1,900 animals from
2,500 in 1995. Almost all the world’s remaining mountain caribou-99
percent–are found in B.C.
“We’re shocked to learn that mining exploration companies can log and
road-build in endangered mountain caribou habitat without any oversight or
cumulative impacts assessment,” said Sierra Club BC Campaigns Director Susan
Howatt. “As mining exploration companies gather in Vancouver next week for
their annual conference, we are calling for B.C.’s mining act to be
modernized so we can ensure our endangered reindeer do not lose more of
their critical habitat to development.”
Sierra Club BC and Wildsight are asking BC to follow Ontario’s lead and
reform the 125-year-old B.C. Mining Act to abolish the “free entry” system,
which allows mining companies access to any land outside designated parks.
Updated BC mining legislation must include environmental and First Nations
review before any exploration activity is undertaken, the groups say.
“It’s ludicrous that a click of a computer mouse gives penny-stock mining
exploration companies the right to build roads and log in critical
endangered species habitat that the B.C. government has wisely put
off-limits to the forest industry,” said Bergenske.
“Mining exploration companies must follow the same rules as logging
companies in critical mountain caribou habitat,” said Lawrence Redfern, a
director of the Mountain Caribou Project. “It’s alarming that here in
SuperNatural British Columbia mining companies are not even required to
consult a caribou expert to ensure their exploration activities do not
adversely impact caribou recovery efforts.”
Contact:
John Bergenske, Executive Director, Wildsight: (250) 422-3566, c (250)
489-9605
