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The review panel received a request from the Esk’etemc to present oral and/or written evidence in confidence during the upcoming community hearing session in Alkali Lake respecting:

• Esk’etemc’s treaty settlement and land (“TSL”) selections and concerns respecting adverse impacts to title and TSL and Esk’etemc’s specific claims area;

• Traditional use knowledge and information respecting the location and nature of Esk’etemc’s sacred sites and burial grounds

To maintain the confidentiality of the above-noted information, Esk’etemc asks that the Panel not publicly post the information on the Panel’s Registry, and that only Secwepemc members be allowed to attend the presentation to the Panel respective the above-noted information at the Community Hearing on August 20, 2013, along with the Panel members, and specified representatives of Taseko Mines Limited who have signed a Confidentiality Undertaking on the terms set by the Panel in consultation with the Esk’etemc.

Quotes of the week: “I personally have got the greatest respect for the people of Xeni Gwet'in and the Tsilhqot'in,”  John McManus.

“The door is open and we look forward to future discussions and we hope that this is a beginning of more conversation,” Christy Smith.

Community hearings continued in Xeni Gwet’in

Community hearings continued Wednesday and Thursday last week in Xeni Gwet’in, with a number of First Nation presentations. Councillor Marilyn Baptiste spoke of the economic development plans that the community wishes to execute, with the focus on jobs within the community. This included specific details of a Cultural Tourism Partnership program with the Xeni Gwet’in and the hopes to develop a traditional village site and visitor information center in order to provide local jobs to community members.

Submitted by Taseko Mines Ltd.

Quote of the day: “We want and we are committed to working relationships with First Nations,” Christy Smith, Taseko’s Manager of Community and Aboriginal Affairs.

Community Hearings Commence in Xeni Gwet’in

Tuesday marked the start of community hearings. At each of eight different First Nation communities, Taseko will present the project to community members and respond to comments and questions as part of the ongoing Review Panel process. The first community session was held in Xeni Gwet’in and will continue through Thursday.

Greg Yelland, Taseko’s Chief Engineer, joined Chief Roger Williams and other band members for the opening ceremony which including drumming and traditional songs.

Submitted by Taseko Mines Limited

Quote of the day: “We are committed to the community, specifically to the Cariboo region,” Katherine Gizikoff, Taseko’s Director, Environment & Governmental Affairs.

Taseko Presents on Human Environment of New Prosperity

Day 10 marked the last day of the topic specific sessions for the New Prosperity Panel Hearings. The last topic discussed was Human Environment. Katherine Gizikoff, Taseko’s Director, Environment & Governmental Affairs, presentation made the following key points:

• Changes in project were made to respond to Federal panel concerns, including: preserves Fish Lake, smaller footprint, less land disturbance, provides access to Fish Lake during operations
• Followed EIS Guidelines
• Taseko reviewed past and recent consultation records
• EIS concludes no significant adverse effect

The Federal Review Panel has received a request from the Tsilhqot’in National Government (TNG) to submit a report and present information to the Panel in confidence during the upcoming community hearing session in Xeni Gwet’in.

On August 2, J.P. Laplante, TNG Mining, Oil and Gas Manager requested confidentiality for a report, entitled 'The Identification of Ancestral Tŝilhqot’in Graves within the Vicinity of the Proposed New Prosperity mine: Nabaŝ and Teztan Biny'.  "This report identifies and provides site-specific information pertaining to Tsilhqot’in cultural heritage sites that are not, to our knowledge, identified in the materials presented by the Proponent in its Environmental Impact Statement, or otherwise in the Panel’s record," states Laplante in the letter. "These sites were identified by Tsilhqot’in members in the field and documented by a qualified archaeologist."

Submitted by Taseko Mines Ltd.

Taseko Presents on Terrestrial Assessment of New Prosperity
Katherine Gizikoff, Taseko’s Director, Environment & Governmental Affairs, presents to the panel during the topic specific hearing session on the terrestrial environment in relation to the New Prosperity project.  The presentation concluded the following:

• There is a smaller mine footprint (than the previous proposal); therefore, less effect
• Same mitigation measures will be applied as in the previous project
• The new plan addressed previous concerns
• The new plan meets the requirements of the EIS guidelines
• The new plan meets the test of CEAA 2012
• The new plan results in no significant adverse environmental effect

Submitted by Taseko Mines Limited

Quote of the day: “We all agree that the overarching goal is to maintain Fish Lake as an ecosystem,” Ron Smith, Panel Member.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) agrees with Taseko’s Plan

In presenting to the Panel yesterday during the topic specific hearing session on the Aquatic Environment DFO’s concluded:   

• DFO generally agrees with the Proponent’s characterization of the effects of the project including the mine footprint impacts and downstream flow impacts, and is of the view that conceptually, the direct and indirect project effects can be offset through mitigation and compensation.

• Should the project proceed to the regulatory stage, DFO would work with the proponent on the required regulatory requirements and technical details pertaining to feasibility and habitat assessments to support a fish habitat compensation plan consistent with DFO’s policy objectives.

• DFO has reviewed the proposed recirculation of flows in Fish Lake and has identified risks associated with its effectiveness that raises substantial uncertainty in the long-term regarding fish habitat values and ecosystem functioning, which have the potential to reduce fisheries productivity of Fish Lake.

• Any adaptive management program designed for the project should include monitoring of potential downstream effects in the Taseko River, uncertainties regarding the lake recirculation system, mitigation for Fish Lake tributary streams, and actions to ensure any required mitigation is applied appropriately.

Submitted by Taseko Mines Limited

Quote of the day: “It is the best interest in the company to present a project that we believe in and that we believe will be successful” – John McManus, Taseko, Senior VP Operations

Taseko Talks Water Quality and Fish & Fish Habitat
After short opening remarks by Bill Ross, the Panel Chair, Monday morning’s session began with presentations by Scott Jones, Taseko’s VP Engineering, and Greg Symth, Knight Piésold’s Senior Project Manager on Water Quality and Fish and Fish Habitat. Both presentations concluded that no significant adverse effects will result from the New Prosperity Project.