Bill Bennett blasts WL Mayor Cobb over Mt Polley Short Term Water Discharge Permit concerns

Over the last couple of weeks - both the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) Board & Williams Lake Council sent letters of concern about the delay to issue a Short Term Water Discharge permit to Mt Polley

Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb and CRD Chair Al Richmond have both raised concerns about the delay - read here (Cobb) and here (Richmond).  In addition, Imperial Metals last week raised concerns about this item as it could impede on Mt Polley's ability to operate, given their Restricted Operations permit issued earlier this year - read more here

Yesterday - BC's Energy/Mines Minister Bill Bennett reached out to local media to "correct the record" on this matter.  Minister Bennett stated in response to Cobb's concerns:

It is unfair to the people who depend on the mine to paint a picture of panic that there is going to be a disaster or that the mine is not going to be able to operate

Read more from the Williams Lake Tribune here and My Cariboo Now here

With great respect to the Minister - instead of blasting local elected officials in the media, perhaps he could come here and meet with elected officials directly and hear our concerns in a respectful manner and not accuse us of being "fear-mongerers".  We have an obligation to let Victoria know when we have concerns, on behalf of our constituents

~SF