“We are hopeful that the Commissioner of the Environment will undertake an audit of Canada’s remarkable failure to adequately regulate coal mine pollution in the Elk Valley over the last twenty years. This regulatory failure has directly contributed to one of the most serious and permanent environmental disasters in Canadian history, and one of the … Continued
Coal mines in the BC Rockies send toxic selenium pollution downstream that puts fish in danger, not just in BC, but in Lake Koocanusa and the Kootenai River for hundreds of kilometres through Montana and Idaho — and back into BC.
At times most of us have felt that we are nothing but a voice in the wilderness. We speak out to industry or government and little seems to change. A letter is written with no reply nor result and we question whether it is worth it. It is worth it; when we speak out, change … Continued
This position has now been filled. Organizational Overview Wildsight is a registered charity with a mission to protect biodiversity and encourage sustainable communities in the Kootenay-Columbia region of BC. Our vision is to inspire a shared community desire to protect our natural world for future generations. We envision extensive and connected wild spaces for wildlife—from … Continued
Montana sets selenium pollution limit for Koocanusa, while BC stalls Late last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved a new, lower limit for selenium pollution limit in Lake Koocanusa in Montana based on six years of study from a group of scientists on both sides of the border. The evidence is in: to … Continued
The Rocky Mountains are one of the most iconic and biologically significant mountain ranges in the world. Stretching almost 5,000 kilometres from northern British Columbia to the arid reaches of the US Southwest, these spectacular mountains support a vast array of species and provide an essential corridor to maintain genetic diversity for grizzly bears throughout … Continued
Even though Lake Koocanusa is more than a hundred kilometres downstream of Teck’s coal mines in the Rocky Mountains, selenium pollution flowing from the mines is a real danger to fish who call the reservoir home. The still waters of the 145km long reservoir that runs from B.C. into Montana allow even low concentrations of … Continued
Teck’s Castle coal mine will have a federal environmental assessment, Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced today. That’s good news for fish, bears and other wildlife in BC’s southern Rockies! The Minister ordered the assessment after Wildsight and other conservation groups, First Nations, U.S. governments and hundreds of people like you requested a full federal … Continued
Teck’s Castle coal mine expansion will take down a mountain in the BC Rockies over decades and will become Canada’s largest coal mine by production. But under Canada’s environmental assessment rules, the mine apparently doesn’t qualify for a federal environmental assessment because it’s too small! How can a massive coal mine with a well known … Continued
In the Elk Valley, mountain-top removal coal mines dig up millions of tonnes of coal every year. When people ask questions about how these coal mines add to climate change, Teck is always quick to point out that the mines produce steelmaking coal, not the dirty kind of coal that’s burned to generate electricity. But … Continued
