The Fording River Mine expansion has formally entered British Columbia’s environmental assessment process public comment period.
Public feedback will be accepted until Feb. 15.
Elk Valley Resources is looking to expand its operations along the Fording River to extend the mine’s life by approximately 35 years.
There have been issues with high levels of selenium being discharged into waterways in the Elk Valley.
“The fact that this expansion is being proposed while existing Elk Valley mines pollute aquatic ecosystems and drinking water should be grounds alone for the B.C. government to reject this proposal,” said Simon Wiebe, Mining Impacts and Policy Lead at Wildsight.
“This public comment period is an opportunity for everyone affected by this crisis to speak up and make sure that B.C. listens.”
In October, the Ktunaxa Nation expressed their concerns with the expansion due to EVR’s water quality compliance.
The company has been fined multiple times for water quality violations and mitigation delays.
This is the second of four public comment periods on this project.
An online information session is planned for Jan. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Two in person open houses will also take place.
One is from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Causeway Bay Hotel in Sparwood on Jan. 28.
The second is from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Best Western Plus Fernie Mountain Lodge on Jan. 29.
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