2.1 Mount Polley
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2.1.2 Mount Polley Auditor General’s Report
In May 2016, the Auditor General of British Columbia issued report titled “An
Audit of Compliance and Enforcement of the Mining Sector” (BC AG 2016). The
stated purpose of the audit was to determine whether the regulatory compliance
and enforcement activities of the Government of British Columbia pertaining to the
mining sector were protecting the province from significant environmental risks. The
audit was initiated prior to the Mount Polley breach to assess regulatory effectiveness
at all operating mines in British Columbia but was later expanded to include a major
section focusing on major issues related to this specific incident.
The overall audit finding was that “…compliance and enforcement activities of the
mining sector are inadequate to protect the province from significant environmental
risks.” The findings that support such a conclusion and the resulting recommendations
are well documented in the report and, because of this, this section will only identify
and discuss matters pertaining to the use of risk assessment methodologies in support
of improvements in regulatory oversight and industry performance.
One of the important concepts introduced in the audit was that not only should
the public be protected from significant environmental risks but the public should
also be informed about such risks. One of its recommendations is that government
should:
…publicly disclose its rationale for granting a permit…. Specifically, information should
include how factors such as economic, environmental, and social attributes were considered
in the determination of public interest.
The report also identifies the need for a risk-based approach to compliance verification activities with inspections based on identified risks.
2.2 Samarco Tailings Dam Breach
On November 5, 2015, Samarco’s Fundão dam failed. It was one of Samarco’s two
primary tailings dams at their mine site in Brazil. This failure led to a significant
volume of mine tailings being released (Fig. 2.2) with the result that three communities were flooded and a number of other communities further downstream were also
affected.
Nineteen people died; five community members and fourteen people who were
working on the dam facility at the time of the failure. Approximately 700 people
lost their homes, seven bridges were destroyed, and access roads and 100 km of
fencing were damaged. Over 2000 ha of riverside vegetation and agricultural land
were impacted, affecting the lives of about 7000 families.
19
2.1.2 Mount Polley Auditor General’s Report
In May 2016, the Auditor General of British Columbia issued report titled “An
Audit of Compliance and Enforcement of the Mining Sector” (BC AG 2016). The
stated purpose of the audit was to determine whether the regulatory compliance
and enforcement activities of the Government of British Columbia pertaining to the
mining sector were protecting the province from significant environmental risks. The
audit was initiated prior to the Mount Polley breach to assess regulatory effectiveness
at all operating mines in British Columbia but was later expanded to include a major
section focusing on major issues related to this specific incident.
The overall audit finding was that “…compliance and enforcement activities of the
mining sector are inadequate to protect the province from significant environmental
risks.” The findings that support such a conclusion and the resulting recommendations
are well documented in the report and, because of this, this section will only identify
and discuss matters pertaining to the use of risk assessment methodologies in support
of improvements in regulatory oversight and industry performance.
One of the important concepts introduced in the audit was that not only should
the public be protected from significant environmental risks but the public should
also be informed about such risks. One of its recommendations is that government
should:
…publicly disclose its rationale for granting a permit…. Specifically, information should
include how factors such as economic, environmental, and social attributes were considered
in the determination of public interest.
The report also identifies the need for a risk-based approach to compliance verification activities with inspections based on identified risks.
2.2 Samarco Tailings Dam Breach
On November 5, 2015, Samarco’s Fundão dam failed. It was one of Samarco’s two
primary tailings dams at their mine site in Brazil. This failure led to a significant
volume of mine tailings being released (Fig. 2.2) with the result that three communities were flooded and a number of other communities further downstream were also
affected.
Nineteen people died; five community members and fourteen people who were
working on the dam facility at the time of the failure. Approximately 700 people
lost their homes, seven bridges were destroyed, and access roads and 100 km of
fencing were damaged. Over 2000 ha of riverside vegetation and agricultural land
were impacted, affecting the lives of about 7000 families.