Mount Polley could happen again, Sierra Club report claims

The Sierra Club has released a report on the two-year anniversary of the Mount Polley tailings pond breach saying the province's new tailings pondregulations still aren't strong enough to prevent a similar disaster.

Sierra Club executive director Bob Peart says regulations have been improved, but haven't gone far enough.

"Our perspective is the government is still putting mining profits ahead of the environment, public safety, public health, and that disturbs us," Peart told On The Coast host Stephen Quinn.

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In a Wednesday news release, Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said B.C. became a world leader in tailings pond safety after the disaster by implementing the recommendations of a review panel.

"All British Columbians were shaken by the Mount Polley tailings dam failure," he said in the statement. "It was unprecedented for our province, but it did happen. We've taken a leadership position and have done all we can to ensure such a failure can never happen in B.C. again."

Peart says that's "easy to say," but the province didn't accept all of the panel's recommendations.

Peart is calling onthe government to establish an independent tailings pond review board; to increase inspections in the field; reduce self-regulationand establish stronger standards for tailings pond design.

He also says financial bonding of mining companies needs to be more robust to pay for the cleanup of any future disasters.

"If there is some sort of catastrophe, and this report predicts that will happen, the reclamation and closure costs whatsoever won't be associated with the company, it's going to be the taxpayer," he said.

With files from CBC RadioOne's On The Coast

To hear the full interview, click the audio labelled:Sierra Club: new mining regulations won't prevent future Mount Polleys