e-4324 (Environment)
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
- St Barbara operates the Touquoy open-pit gold mine at Moose River, Nova Scotia;
- Situated at the headwaters of Scraggy Lake and amid 3 important wetlands that drain into rivers relied upon by all life;
- January 3, 2019, approx. 400,00 litres of contaminated slurry leaked from this mine due to Stormwater management system being overwhelmed by heavy rains and silt run-off;
- A permit to raise the tailings pond 2.5 meters above its current height (130 meters above sea level) was issued in August, 2022;
- Risk of failure increases as dam height increases, tailings volumes increase and rainfall increases due to climate change;
- Atlantic Gold has permission to self-regulate contamination testing and mitigation;
- From August to Dec 2022 “Citizen Scientists” took water samples from Scraggy Lake and the wetlands surrounding Touquoy Mines and found high levels of arsenic;
- Baseline measurements taken at Scraggy Lake before mining commenced showed undetectable levels of arsenic;
- Measurements taken on Dec 2, 2022 showed 12ug/L whereas 5ug/L is acceptable
- This leak runs through the wetland into Fish River then Scraggy Lake. The contamination will flow through to Ship Harbour-Long Lake, into Lake Charlotte and out into the ocean affecting the fishery
- Open for signature
- April 5, 2023, at 4:02 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- August 3, 2023, at 4:02 p.m. (EDT)