No Support for Cocharne Hill

Reference Number
27
Text

Our family has been in this area since the early '70s. Fishing, hiking and exploring the St Mary's River watershead and adjecent locals, its an ecological gem. Lakes such as Archibald and MacDonald are prime brook trout areas. The river itself is now for the most part protected to a degree however, I believe that the Cochrane Hill mine will be detrimental and pose serious hazards to the river and surrounding area. The protection of the area vastly outweighs the short term benefits the mine will provide the area. The utilization of local fresh water from Archibald Lake and the surrounding water sources and table will certainly have a long term effect on the natural environment as well as other lakes in the local such as MacDonalds Lake, Rocky Lake and nearby wetlands. The toxic tailings pond coming in at approximately 40+ acres and the associated dam at 70 meters in height will pose an eternal risk to this pristine ecological and tourism area. The tailings pond not only poses hazards but the everlasting monitoring at taxpayers expense, not to mention the risk of containment failure. Any far future maintenance will be borne by each of us. If there were to be a catastrophy with the toxic waste containment the whole of the St Mary's River watershead downstream of the mine location would be ecologically altered for generations. We know that tailings pond retention is not a perfect science as research to their failures shows. The 30 hectare open pit also is a legesy that we will need to live with eternally. The pit and associated toxic tailings pond are a size difficult to imagine. The area will be forever disfigured and pose a hazard. This mine also flies in the face of local and government support for the St Mary's River Association that has for decades worked diligently to enhance the river for one of the remaining Atlantic Salmon runs left in NS. Recent funding and protection could all be for naught with an approval for this mine. It is important to understand that future generations will need the solace these areas bring to the table. The transport of the refined ore by multiple B-train vehicles 2.5hr down the coast has its own physical and environmental challenges that can easily be researched. Dust, road deterioriation, vehicle hazards due to heavy vehicle operation on public roads all come at a cost. In closing I would like to say that although much mining has been approved recently in Nova Scotia, this is a location that should be left off the list. I do not support the Cocharne Hill Mine.

Submitted by
Mark Ballard
Phase
N/A
Public Notice
N/A
Attachment(s)
N/A
Comment Tags
Air Quality Noise Accidental Events / Malfunctions Weather Events / Flooding / Hazards Fish and Fish Habitat Wildlife / Habitat Groundwater Quantity / Flow Groundwater Quality Surface Water Quality General opposition to project Fishing Visual Aesthetics Community / Regional Infrastructure Wetlands
Date Submitted
2021-05-06 - 12:59 PM
Date modified: