The Newfoundland and Labrador Prospectors Association is not opposed to the creation of small ecological reserves in terms of protecting rare plants, fossil localities or rare birds.
But at the present time, president Norm Mercer, said there are significant parts of the island that are excluded from prospecting and explorations activities and that includes national parks, wilderness areas and ecological reserves.
For the prospecting industry that means there are a lot of areas that could have potential for mineral exploration and development that are off-limits.
And the association is concerned that even more areas will be excluded if the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Councils (WERAC) plan to classify 32 areas on the island portion of the province as protected ecological reserves proceeds.
"We have world-class geology, we have world-class mineral endowment and each time you remove areas for those types of activities youre removing a portion of that potential and what comes from that activity with regards to meaningful high paying jobs, economic development opportunities, revenue streams, and much of that would impact rural parts of the province and smaller urban areas of the province.
In 2019 the province released a new mineral strategy to grow the industry and Mercer said that growth has been occurring.
Removing areas that could be accessed for exploration flies in the face of that strategy.
We have world-class geology, we have world-class mineral endowment and each time you remove areas for those types of activities youre removing a portion of that potential." Norm Mercer
Instead, his group supports multiple use policies.
Mercer said prospecting and mineral exploration are non-intrusive activities. Its only a temporary use of the land. A prospector going through an area, hiking through the country knocking off a grab sample or taking a soil (sample) is no different than berry picking, hunting or fishing, he said.
If a mine were found, Mercer said the provincial and federal governments have strict regulatory regimes and environmental assessments that would have to be followed.
In the end, these activities provide well-paying jobs, support communities and create revenue streams.
Mercer said the demand for minerals is growing for use in things like electric batteries, solar panels and wind turbines as countries shift to lower carbon economies.
This is one of our great treasures and great assets. At a time when were in a situation where we have record debt, a deep recession and significant numbers of our smaller communities that are basically eroding away and with the amount of land thats already been removed, where does it stop and is there proper conversation happening by all parties involved as to the impacts.
He said the challenge the association has with WERAC is that the process is not inclusive and that the people selected for the WERAC committee are those with an interest and background in the protection of lands.
We feel that all stakeholders should be at the table, he said.
Its fine to say that were going to protect these areas and that theyll be there for communities, but if the communities are dying whos left to partake of nature.
Mercer said the plan has already been submitted to the government but the association wants whatever party that forms the next government to put it on hold as it believes that enough land has been removed and that the proper due diligence is not being done.
Last week the association sent a letter to the Liberal, PC, NDP and NL Alliance asking for their positions on the WERAC plan. As of Monday, it had not received a response from either party. And only the Liberals responded to a request from The SaltWire Network for comment prior to publication of this article.
Our Liberal government recognizes how important it is for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to have access to natural resources and to outdoor activities they enjoy - and want to maintain it. The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council (WERAC) released its draft plan and the independent body is now in its public consultation process. No decisions connected to WERACs recommendations to government have been made. Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Mercer said members are being encouraged to talk with candidates to get a sense of how they see the economy growing and balancing prospecting and mineral exploration and access to land.
WERAC chair Graham Wood said the committee has met with the association and understands where it is coming from.
Its explained that the areas outlined right now have all been vetted with Industry, Energy and Technology and areas with major staking were set up as transitional reserves. That means mineral and oil exploration would still be allowed in those reserves and the industry would have 10 years to try to find something.
In terms of the land that is already protected and the land outlined in the WERAC plan, Wood said it takes in 12.5 per cent of the land in the province. Thats a lot less than the 85.7 per cent of land in the province that is available for exploration.
Its also less than 17 per cent goal that the federal government had set for 2020 as outlined in the UN conference on biodiversity. That 17 per cent goal has now been moved to 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030.
Because WERAC is an advisory board appointed by the provincial government, Wood is not able to make any major statements during the election.
He said the committee has been meeting weekly are is in the process of finalizing documents and reports that will be presented to the minister, including a What we Heard document and recommendations that includes information and data collected during public engagement in Phase 1. Hes hopeful the committee will move into Phase 2 of the consultation process after the election.
[emailprotected] @WS_DianeCrocker
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Put WERAC process on hold: Newfoundland and Labrador Prospectors association - The Telegram
