Mining project will harm caribou, says Yukon board
YESAB recommends controversial placer mining project at Judas Creek be stopped
Yukon assessors have sided with the territory's environment department, in deciding a proposed mining operation could harm caribou and should be stopped.
The Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB) has recommended the government reject a proposed placer mine near Judas Creek, south of Whitehorse, citing "significant adverse cumulative effects to the Carcross Caribou Herd."
Prospector Nicolai Goeppel and his partner Alex Shaman planned to mine their 45 placer claims in the area, just north of Jake's Corner.
But Yukon's environment department told YESAB the project area is surrounded by high quality habitat for caribou. The department said the claims make up part of the Carcross herd's core winter range and are on its migration route.
"The scale of the proposed Project, which would involve a large area (45 claims) and up to 13 pieces of heavy machinery and a wash-plant operating, is a high magnitude auditory and visual disturbance when compared to its current state and habitat value," the YESAB decision states.
A recovery program for caribou in the Southern Lakes area has been in effect since 1992. In that time, their population grew from 400 caribou to roughly 800 in 2008, according to Environment Yukon.
Damage could be mitigated, says another gov't department
YESAB's recommendation is a clear rejection of arguments made by another government department, that favoured the project. The department of energy, mines and resources argued that any damage to caribou habitat from the mine could be repaired, and the project should go ahead.
YESAB didn't buy it.
That's a disappointment, according to the Yukon Chamber of Mines, which also favoured the project.
"What concerns us is, something like this — as small as a placer operation — a recommendation like this, [is] the potential impact it has on larger applications across all sectors of Yukon's economy," said Samson Hartland, the chamber's executive director.
YESAB's decision is now before the Yukon government, which has the final say. It has 30 days to accept, reject or vary the recommendation.
With files from Dave Croft