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Potential legal action over tailings spill near Princeton

Wolfe Creek culvert. Global News

NEAR PRINCETON – The Copper Mountain Mine near Princeton may be facing legal action after a tailings spill last Wednesday.

READ MORE: Plugged pipe causes tailing spill from Princeton area copper mine

“The spill has resulted in toxic waste contamination to Wolfe Creek, which flows into the Similkameen River,” according to a news release issued Wednesday by the Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB). “Chief and Council are holding emergency meetings this weekend in response to the spill…[and] are considering legal and direct action”

“We’ve been there in‐person to inspect the damage to the Wolfe Creek, and we are extremely disturbed by the lack of long term plans for containment and remediation to the land and water,” says LSIB Chief, Keith Crow.

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Interior Health issued a Do Not Use Water for residents using water downstream of the Copper Mountain mine. The order has since been partially lifted.

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READ MORE: Do Not Use water order partially rescinded

“Our membership is also very concerned about cumulative effects. This isn’t the first spill we have hadto deal with on the Similkameen River system,” says Chief Crow.

In August 2013, nearly 13,000 gallons of coal slurry from the Coalmont Basin Coal mine leaked into the Tulameen River (a tributary of the Similkameen River).

READ MORE:  Coal slurry escapes from containment pond, turns Tulameen river black

The LSIB hasn’t elaborated on how or when it will go about taking legal action, if it decides to proceed.

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