LETTER to SK Minister of Environment: Yancoal Potash Mine

LETTER to SK Minister of Environment: Yancoal Potash Mine

Postby Oscar » Tue Aug 16, 2016 12:11 pm

LETTER to SK Minister of Environment: Yancoal Potash Mine

QUILL PLAINS (Wynyard) Chapter,
Council of Canadians

August 15, 2016

Honourable Herb Cox, Minister
Ministry of Environment
Environmental Assessment and Stewardship Branch
486 – 3211 Albert Street
REGINA SK S4S 4W6

ATTENTION: Aimann Sadik
Senior Environmental Assessment Administrator

Dear Aimann Sadik,

RE: Yancoal Southey Project Decision

Thank you for your letter and enclosures of August 9, 2016 regarding the Government's Environmental Impact Statement and approval of the above-noted 'development' (which it is) project - approval given without regard for our letter to Minister Cox on June 2, 2016, requesting a 'comprehensive independent environmental impact study' which this enormously risky project must have before proceeding.

When we consider the tragic reality of the Husky Oil spill - which has damaged, perhaps for decades, our beautiful North Saskatchewan River - in the context of the Saskatchewan Government's so-called 'regulations and self-monitored oil industry' to keep our residents and our environment safe from harm, we are not overly assured with your approval processes.

In today's Water Security Agency's (SWA) Press Release on the results of ongoing water testing on the North Saskatchewan River, it's interesting to note the questions even WSA is now asking – all belatedly concerned with Saskatchewan's 'coming-of-age' tarsands assault on the pristine water of this vital waterway! How long before the fish from this River can be trusted as safe to eat? How many tourist dollars will not go into provincial coffers because of this debacle?

And, since Mr. Harper gutted our federal environmental protection system to accommodate toxic resource development such as fossil fuels and solution potash mining, who do we count on to protect Saskatchewan land and water? Both administrations share the same bottom line!

And, it's not only pipelines that pollute; we all recall the 2014 Mount Polley Mine tailings pond disaster [ http://canadians.org/blog/update-mount- ... ng-instead ] . . . . . never the Precautionary Principle – always the risk!

We – ALL of us – must change our thinking and PUT WATER FIRST! We must stop risking the health and livelihoods of residents, the wildlife and our environment, especially our precious life-giving water, for the almighty dollar anticipated from this scheme and its ilk – enough! We must NOT sell this country's future to any one, including foreign conglomerates with questionable environmental histories.

We remain 100% opposed to the unnecessary, high-risk Yancoal potash mine (development) project and urgently request that it be immediately rejected – before it's too late.

I look forward to your confirmation that our stand on this issue has been registered with the Minister and added to your Environmental Assessment results.

Yours truly,


Elaine Hughes, Chair
Quill Plains (Wynyard) Chapter
Council of Canadians
Box 23, ARCHERWILL, SK S0E 0B0


cc: Emma Lui,
Water Campaigner for the Council of Canadians
300-251 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1X3
Oscar
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