February 27, 2021
On January 22, 2021, CanWhite Sands Corp. (CWS) submitted a Minor Notice of Alteration to the Manitoba Environmental Approvals Branch with respect to the company’s silica sand processing facility.
The Notice was not placed on the Manitoba Public Registry (file #6057.-00) until February 16, 2021.
In the document, CWS provides only a half-page description of their proposed alterations and fails to provide any technical information that would allow the Manitoba Environmental Approvals Branch or members of the public to determine whether or not these alterations will have any major environmental impacts.
Dennis LeNeveu, What The Frack Manitoba’s science researcher, has since submitted a seven-page document to the Manitoba Environmental Approvals Branch outlining a number of serious issues specifically related to CWS Notice of Alteration that need to be addressed before any of the proposed alterations are approved by the government of Manitoba.
Mr. LeNeveu concludes that the so-called minor alterations proposed by CWS and are indeed potential major problems if not rectified immediately, when he states;
“The inadequately specified ‘French drain style system’ alteration must be revised and incorporated into a major project alteration that addresses all waste streams including contaminants removed from loop water, waste from cleaning of vessels and pipes, drill waste, overs/fines, and mud cakes. An effluent waste disposal facility must be designed and specified for acid generating and contaminant waste.
“The required major project alteration of an effluent disposal facility would have significant environmental effects including potential discharge detrimental to fish habitat in the Brokenhead River.
“The major project alteration would require a new proposal submitted to the Manitoba Environmental Approvals Branch that must be reviewed by the TAC and the public. The lack of necessary detail and information provided for this project and the potential irreparable project detriment to two major aquifers of southeast Manitoba mandate independent hearings….”
What The Frack Manitoba will be writing to the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada regarding these so-called minor alterations proposed by CWS.
If these proposed alterations are approved by the province of Manitoba and allowed to proceed as planned, there could be significant and adverse environmental impacts should deleterious substances be introduced to the Brokenhead River, a fish-bearing river and a federal responsibility.
Don Sullivan
What The Frack Manitoba
(204) 292-0870