Federal agency finds holes in Taseko mine’s draft environmental report

VICTORIA – It’s back to the drawing board for Taseko Mines’ proposed New Prosperity copper and gold mine near Williams Lake.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency says Taseko needs to shore up its environmental impact statement after finding gaps, deficiencies and missing information in a draft report submitted by the Vancouver-based company.

The federal regulatory body makes more than 200 comments in a review that concludes Taseko’s draft environmental impact statement does not address critical issues such as fundamental water quality and fish habitat issues.

The proposed $1.1 billion mine has a controversial history, because it was approved by the B.C. government but rejected by Ottawa, and lately permitted a second chance for approval by the federal government.

Williams Lake-area First Nations fighting the proposed mine say Taseko’s poorly drafted environmental proposal confirms their view that the project should never proceed.

Taseko spokesman Brian Battison says the company is preparing to submit a final environmental impact statement in the next few weeks.