Disease control centre makes assessment recommendations

KAMLOOPS – A group questioning why a mine would even be considered so close to the city is now asking questions about why letters submitted by health officials was released with nearly 80 per cent of the information redacted.

The Kamloops Area Preservation Association first made a freedom of information request for the letter, submitted by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control regarding the proposed Ajax mine, and more than three-quarters of the information was blacked out. The association has now obtained an unaltered copy from the Interior Health Authority.

The letter, dated May 25, 2012, is not referenced in the environmental assessment review online and the association is concerned the comments have not been incorporated even though any comments by a government agency are required to be included if the comments are within the scope of the assessment of what KGHM must study.

The redacted letter did not include any of the recommendations the centre made for which studies should be done or why, including concerns over a lack of methodology when it comes to a human health risk assessment. The centre also wanted all phases of the project considered, straight through decommissioning and for studies to look at impacts on the community as it exists and health impacts under “realistic future scenarios.”

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