Taseko initiates legal proceedings Published: November 17, 2011 7:00 AM Updated: November 17, 2011 5:27 PM http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/134003528.html Taseko Mines Ltd. has filed a claim in B.C. Supreme Court seeking a permanent injunction to restrain individuals from interfering with the company’s work at the New Prosperity mine site. The claim, filed with the court Monday, lists Taskeo Mines as plaintiff and identifies six individuals — Emery Phillips, Marie William, Marilyn Baptiste and three unidentified individuals — as defendants in the case that stems from incidents that are alleged to have occurred Nov. 6 and 12. According to a court affidavit, on Nov. 6 contractors hired by Taseko attempted to access the Prosperity project site but were prohibited from doing so. It alleges defendants refused to allow contractors access to the site and threatened damage to the equipment being transported. The second incident is alleged to have occurred Nov. 12 when contractors hired by Taseko and their employees attempted to access the mine site but were prohibited from doing so by having their passage physically prevented. According to Taseko vice-president of corporate affairs Brian Battison, the work the crews had been attempting to undertake was permitted by both the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. “The work itself is minimally invasive,” he said. “It’s very routine. Common to the work that’s already gone on out there and is required to inform the environmental assessment. It’s required for our plan to save Fish Lake.” He added the drilling and test pitting will focus on the location of the new tailings facility in order to determine the geotechnical characteristics of the area. Battison added that the court action was a way to “remove the obstruction” and called it a “reasonable” action in the face of dispute and differences of opinion. Tsilhqot’in National Government tribal chair Joe Alphonse indicated he was unaware of the details of what occurred. “I imagine if Tsilhqot’in people saw some people unlawfully out there they would request them to leave.” “I don’t believe that’s unlawful,” he said of the individuals’ actions, “anytime a First Nation is doing something in terms of protecting the environment. “ … Somebody there speaking on behalf of the environment is not unlawful.” Taseko applied to complete the work back in May 2011, which was approved by the provincial government on Sept. 29, 2011. The work consists of test pitting and drilling. A test pit is a hole dug by a back hoe to a depth of about 10 feet. The hole is then filled back in and reclaimed. Drilling consists of drilling three- to four-inch wide holes to varying depths. Last week the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency approved a review panel for the revised project. Taseko is also seeking an amendment to the environmental certificate it was issued by the B.C. Environmental Assessment office.
