Whitehorse Daily Star

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CONSULTATIONS CONTINUING – ATAC Resources has proposed building a 65-kilometre road through virgin wilderness to its Rau exploration property north of Keno City. The plan has prompted spirited opposition from several bodies and individuals.

Parties awaiting decision on Yukon all-season road

It’s been two months,

By Chuck Tobin on July 20, 2017

It’s been two months, and there’s still no decision on the recommendation to permit the construction of an all-season road through wilderness to a mining property north of Keno City.

The Mayo office of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board issued the recommendation in early May.

Communication officer Sue Thomas of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources explained recently the Yukon government and the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun are still involved in consultations regarding the recommendation.

The two decision bodies are continuing to work on the preparation of a consolidated decision document, Thomas said.

Under the assessment legislation, timelines that normally apply to decision bodies weighing recommendations from the assessment board do not apply when the file involves consultation with First Nations which are also decision bodies.

The proposal by ATAC Resources to build a 65-kilometre road through virgin wilderness to its Rau exploration property prompted stiff opposition from several bodies and individuals.

Many insisted there should be no allowance for an all-season road to a mining property that is still in the exploration phase.

Impacts on wildlife would be substantial, many argued.

They said even the best plans to ensure the road was used only by the mining company would not prevent others from using it to access vast stretches of wilderness previously inaccessible by road.

An all-season road would open up the area to more exploration and lead to increased use of the road by more companies, some suggested in their written submissions to the assessment board.

Even the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun had noted several concerns in its submission to the board.

The proposal by ATAC Resources indicated now that it’s in an advanced stage of exploration, it requires larger equipment and larger volumes of fuel which are not feasible to fly in.

The Mayo office recommended in early May that the road be permitted.

It attached several conditions to the recommendation. For instance, it recommended the development of a comprehensive set of rules regarding who would be able to the use the road – hunters, trappers, outfitters.

The board recommended a guard house be put in place to control access.

There’s been no indication regarding when the Yukon government and the First Nation might issue the decision document, and the two governments are not tied to any fixed timeline in this case.

Normally, when the Yukon government receives a recommendation about a project proposal from one of the assessment board’s six designated offices, it has 30 days to issue a decision document.

Under the assessment legislation, where there are two decision bodies, they must consult with each other and are not under any fixed timelines to issue their individual decisions or a consolidated decision.

Comments (8)

Up 0 Down 0

Politico on Jul 26, 2017 at 8:43 pm

@Niles Is this one of those alt facts, something you made up or just an outright lie? No proof offered just one of those Trumpiter anonymous sources. at least make it more believable.

Up 2 Down 5

Lee on Jul 25, 2017 at 9:40 pm

I am shocked that nnd would consider this. Shame on you, we were put here to take care of our lands, animals, water, etc.
Money can't buy back what greed destroys.

Up 1 Down 3

moe on Jul 25, 2017 at 5:55 pm

My concern is that this will just be another area opened up to wipe out the moose population like what has already happened wherever there is a road near Ross River / Faro. Or another shooting gallery scenario like we have up on the Dempster thanks to people who call themselves hunters, coming over from NWT to shoot blindly into the caribou herd then throw whatever is on the ground into their pick up trucks.

That is my concern with this road: people won't be controlled and certainly won't control themselves, then they'll be whining when all the game animals are killed off. Decommission the road with spike belts every km or something when it's not in use, and then I guess it would be okay.

Up 10 Down 2

Donovan on Jul 23, 2017 at 5:54 am

@My Name......welcome to government and politics for the last 2000 years or so.. Those with "privilege and power" make the rules to benefit themselves..

Up 21 Down 11

My name on Jul 21, 2017 at 11:53 am

The Chiefs family directly benefits from the road going thru since they own an oil delivery company, which recently had an accident and spilled fuel on the junction from Whitehorse heading towards the North Klondike Highway. If this happened on a well maintained, paved highway, how will this be prevented on a backroad in pristine wilderness? Families involved who directly benefit should not be making decisions!

Up 33 Down 16

Just Say'in on Jul 20, 2017 at 10:48 pm

Great, build the road. Yukon is so lucky to have roads to access so much of our back country. If you want absolutely no way to access or appreciate the back country, NWT or NUNAVUT may be for you. For me I love our road access. Mining and exploration has set us apart from the rest and it is great. Anyone that is against this but uses all of our roads and Highways is a complete hypocrite.

Up 15 Down 19

the quick reply on Jul 20, 2017 at 9:31 pm

How about just, "no". That works.

Up 13 Down 9

Nile on Jul 20, 2017 at 3:28 pm

I've talked to YESSA workers who described how they were instructed to stall and find faults with projects that exceeded requirements.

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