[Newsbot]

Title: Proposed federal rules would allow coal mines to release more toxins in their effluent
Category: Environmental
Posted By: DrCaleb
Date: 2022-02-14 06:39:11
Canadian

[DrCaleb]

Bla bla bla.

[Zipperfish]

The federal government's comment that provinces were free to enact stricter regulations is basically code for downloading the problem to the provinces. Mining is very a much a provincial issue, as is freshwater (i.e. the Elk River in BC, which has high selenium levels). However, constitutionally, all fish are federal fish so you end up with mixed jurisdictions.

The practice in Canada has always been, and will likely continue to be, let the mines operate and then use the public purse to clean up after. Canada's (federal) contaminated site liability a few years ago, last I checked, was around $4B. $2B of that was two abandoned mines, Giant and Faro.

[DrCaleb]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

The practice in Canada has always been, and will likely continue to be, let the mines operate and then use the public purse to clean up after. Canada's (federal) contaminated site liability a few years ago, last I checked, was around $4B. $2B of that was two abandoned mines, Giant and Faro.

Externalize costs, internalize profit.

What makes me roll my eyes is the government(s) preaching decarbonization, and then making it easier and more profitable to dig up coal.

Like Greta says, "Bla bla bla".

[raydan]

Gotta love the double standards here.

The consumers get pressure from government and others to stop polluting, watch what we throw away, recycle, stop using single use plastics, and reduce our carbon emissions.

But industries get a free pass. That's OK, pollute as much as you want, we'll clean it up later (or not) with the taxes the consumers give us.