On Dec. 2, Taskeo Mines Limited commenced a federal judicial review application, seeking to set aside certain findings of the Federal Environment Review Panel's report relating to the company's New Prosperity Gold-Copper Project environmental assessment.
Taseko is asking the court for a declaration that certain panel findings relating to seepage and water quality be set aside, as well as declaring the panel failed in certain respects to comply with principles of procedural fairness.
The judicial review will address the question of whether Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and, in turn, the panel made a fundamental error when determining expected seepage rates from the tailings storage facility.
According to its press release, Taseko believes the evidence is clear NRCan failed to account for a liner that would be part of the tailings storage facility – thus modelling the wrong project design and assuming water would seep into open ground.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) requested Taseko's response to several questions regarding this matter and the company has provided that information in letters dated Nov. 8 and 15 to the Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq and to CEAA.
"Taseko had no choice but to file this application in order to comply with a 30-day time limit," says Taseko president and CEO Russell Hallbauer.
"But we remain of the view that the federal government should allow the project to proceed to the next stage of detailed permit-level examination, and if so, the judicial review would not need to proceed."
The panel found that the project was not likely to have significant adverse effects in approximately 30 different areas, including human health, salmon habitat and wildlife. Those findings are not being challenged.
A copy of the application to the Federal Court and the Nov. 8 and 15 letters to the Environment are available at Taseko's website at www.tasekomines.com.