Feds, province [Newfoundland] mum on Vale charges – by Ashley Fitzpatrick (St. John’s Telegram – July 11, 2013)

http://www.thetelegram.com/

The federal government has refused to comment on the charges being pressed against Vale Newfoundland and Labrador for alleged illegal release of liquid waste into Anaktalak Bay, Labrador.

Three charges are being laid against Vale relating to alleged breaches of the federal Fisheries Act over the course of almost a month in October 2011.

In response to questions on the case, Environment Canada issued a response by email, received by The Telegram at 9 p.m. Wednesday: “Thank you for contacting Environment Canada. However, as this case is currently before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment.” The paper posed questions about the Vale case to communications staff at the provincial and federal level throughout the day Wednesday.

The questions — including whether or not the provincial government was aware of the allegations against Vale — have bounced between the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) representatives, a provincial spokesperson for DFO, the Environment Canada communications office in Ottawa and provincial communications staff from Service NL to Environment and Conservation.

There has been no response to any questions about environmental monitoring at Voisey’s Bay, interaction between regulators at the provincial and federal level, or the alleged environmental crime that has prompted the charges against Vale, other than to say that case is before the courts.

A spokesman for the company has also declined comment.

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(Earlier story)

Vale charged with illegal dumping in Labrador

Mining giant Vale has been accused of breaches of the federal Fisheries Act, for allegedly dumping toxic material into Anaktalak Bay, Labrador over the course of almost a month.

Specifically, the company has been accused of depositing “acutely lethal effluent,” mine waste, into the waters of Edwards Cove, Anaktalak Bay — where the port site for Vale’s Voisey’s Bay nickel mine is located.

The illegal dumping is said to have taken place from Oct. 4, 2011 to Oct. 31, 2011.

The federal government is pressing criminal charges against the company.

The case was called in Courtroom 7 in provincial court in St. John’s at 9:37 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The charges were not read aloud and, by 9:38 a.m., the case had been set over to Aug. 30 — allowing time for further disclosure of information from government to company lawyers.

For the rest of this article, click here: http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2013-07-11/article-3309888/Vale-charged-with-illegal-dumping-in-Labrador/1