Buckhorn Mountain Water Quality--take ACTION by September 19

August 24, 2007

from Okanogan Highlands Alliance

Kinross Gold has asked the Washington Department of Ecology to certify that the water quality of their proposed mine would meet water quality standards. Ecology will accept comments on the Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, the water quality certification application for the mine and related activities. until September 19

Let your voice be heard.
Water quality certification should not be granted!

Tell Ecology:

  • Ecology should reject Kinross' Tier II analysis because it fails to consider harm of their proposal to the public interest.
  • We value the high quality of water on Buckhorn Mountain and we expect Ecology to protect it.
  • Degraded water from the proposed water treatment facility is no replacement for clean & natural, non-chemically treated water.
  • It is unacceptable to release antimony, arsenic, chromium and other toxic metals into the environment above background concentrations.
  • The predicted increase in sediments in Marias Creek from ore hauling in the current plan is unacceptable.
  • The mining company's water quality predictions are unrealistic.
  • The Adaptive Management Plan is inadequate to deal with problems that are likely to develop.
  • The reporting and response requirement as detailed in the Monitoring Plan are inadequate to insure water quality will be protected.
  • The mining company's self monitoring and self enforcement is unacceptable.
  • Bonding offers little assurance that water quality will be protected.
  • The current mine proposal does not provide reasonable assurance that water quality will be protected. This is unacceptable and water quality certification should be denied.

    Send comments to:
     Gary Graff, Federal Project Coordinator
    Department of Ecology, PO Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600
    ecyrefedpermits@ecy.wa.gov

    More information can be found at: http://www.okanoganhighlandsalliance.org

    --

    David Kliegman
    Okanogan Highlands Alliance
    PO Box 163
    Tonasket, WA 98855
    509-485-3361
    kliegoha@televar.com

    "Pure water is more precious than gold!"

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