Go Ahead Given to Mine and Clearcut in Temagami
6/29/96
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Subject: Mines & Clearcuts in Temagami
Date: 29 Jun 1996 02:02:02 GMT
From: sbauer@superior.carleton.ca (Sandra Bauer)
Organization: Carleton University
Newsgroups:
talk.environment,ont.general,alt.save.the.earth,rec.boats.paddle,alt.rec.camping
This is a press release issued by the Wildlands League of
the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Friday, June 28, 1996.
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Mines and Clearcuts in Wild Temagami as Ontario Government
Rejects Key Protection Recommendations
The long-awaited Temagami land-use decision was released to the public today.
The Minister of Natural Resources, Chris Hodgson, has given the go ahead to
mining, logging and road building in sensitive areas, contrary to the
recommendations of a local advisory committee.
The Comprehensive Planning Council (CPC), a local body comprising teachers,
local business people and residents spent six years reaching the conclusion that
sensitive wild lake and river areas to the North of Lady Evelyn Wilderness Park
should be protected from the impacts of mining and logging. These
recommendations have been rejected by the Minister of Natural Resources and
mining staking will be permitted to occur in these areas beginning in
September 1996.
"The CPC recommendations were a reasonable compromise to conserve wilderness and
permit development in Temagami," says Tim Gray, executive director of the
Wildlands League. "By rejecting the CPC plan, the Ontario government has yet
again disregarded the public interest in favour of pleasing industry lobbyists.
The public will not accept clearcuts, roads and mine waste in the headwaters of
Temagami's premiere wilderness area," he adds. Ontario residents have made
strong statements about their desire to see wild areas protected. A recent
Environics poll (Feb '96) found that 81% of Ontarians and 67% of northern
Ontarians support protecting wild areas, even if it means less mining, logging
and urban expansion. "This decision is short-sighted and will prove to be
bad for business in Ontario," he adds.
Government assurances to 'mitigate' the impacts of planned mining and logging
ring especially hollow at a time when the job of forest management is being
handed to industry, the Ministry of Natural Resources Office in Temagami is
closing, and pollution control legislation and regulation is being gutted at
Queen's Park.
"Old Growth pine forests have been lost, sawmills have closed and waters have
been polluted by poor care in the past," says Mr. Gray. "Wild land protection
is an ecological and economic insurance policy for the future of Temagami. The
vast majority of income in the town of Temagami is now derived from tourist
revenue and this must not be compromised in a rush to build mines or cut more
trees in sensitive wild areas. The CPC plan tried to strike a balance. It is
very unfortunate the Minister has chosen to reject its critical
recommendations," Mr. Gray concludes.
Wildlands League will be spending the next months working to show how both the
people and wild places of Temagami can benefit from implementing a balanced
plan. Activities to include:
- encouraging the development of a local forest authority board to
take over from the Ministry of Natural Resources
- conducting a landowner, cottager and visitor contact program
throughout the summer
- launching a Request for Investigation under the Environmental
Bill of Rights into continuing contaminated discharge from the
now abandoned Sherman Open Pit iron ore mine outside the village
of Temagami.