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EMISH ALERT                                                     1 MAY 1997



INCO ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMININE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE VOISEY BAY PROJECT
Innu Nation Calls for Rejection of Construction Plans During Environmental
Review

For the third time in three years, the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company (a
subsidiary of Inco) is attempting to build a road, a dock, and a 1250 meter
long airstrip at Emish (Voisey's Bay) during the summer of 1997-despite the
fact that the entire Voisey's Bay mining project is currently undergoing a
public environmental review under an agreement between Canada,
Newfoundland, the Labrador Inuit Association and the Innu Nation.

The Innu Nation believes that the company is attempting to bypass the
Environmental Review Panel that is currently examining the project in order
to accelerate the development of the mine and begin production of nickel
concentrate by 1999. The Innu Nation has fought and negotiated to ensure
that there is a single, comprehensive environmental review of the whole
project-all of the parts of what may eventually be a large nickel mine on
Innu and Inuit land.

The purpose of an environmental assessment is to predict and evaluate the
impacts of a project before irreversible decisions are made. Roads and
airstrips are irreversible decisions with real impacts, but these impacts
can only be appreciated and understood in the context of the mine they are
intended to serve. Without an opportunity to review and assess the project
as a whole, it is impossible to make responsible decisions about whether or
not it should proceed. There are still a number of difficult problems, such
as the safe and permanent disposal of mine wastes, which must be resolved.
Without a clear picture of the whole project, it is possible that decisions
taken today will have to be changed later as these and other considerations
are taken into account, which will result in impacts which might have been
avoided with proper planning and assessment. The Innu and Inuit will have
to live with the consequences.

According to the company, this infrastructure is intended to support
advanced exploration activities by providing improved access to the site.
Voisey's Bay Nickel maintains that the proposed infrastructure is not
included in the project under review, but coincidentally the proposed road,
airstrip and dock are all located in the same place that the permanent
road, airstrip, and dock would be situated in the event that the mine-mill
project is permitted to proceed.

Support the Innu Nation's fight against the advanced infrastructure and the
fragmentation of the environmental review by:


1) Writing to the Newfoundland Minister of the Environment, Mr. Kevin
   Aylward, and the Canadian Minister of the Environment, Mr. Sergio Marchi,
   urging them to maintain the integrity of the current comprehensive panel
   review of the Voisey Bay project. Ask them to reject any attempts by the
   company to undermine the assessment process.

Hon. Kevin Aylward
Minister of the Environment
Confederation Building
PO Box 8700
St. John's, NF A1B 4J6
tel: (709) 729-2574
fax: (709) 729-1930

Hon. Sergio Marchi
Minister of the Environment
Terrace de la Chaudiere
10 Wellington St.
Hull, PQ K1A 0H3
tel:  (819) 997-1441
fax: (819) 953-3457

2) Calling, writing or faxing the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company and Inco
   to express your concerns:

Mr. Rick Gill
Executive Vice-President
Voisey's Bay Nickel Co.
Suite 700,
10 Fort William Place
St. John's NF A1C 6K3
tel: (709) 758-8888
fax: (709) 758-8899

Mr. Michael Sopko
President and CEO
Inco Limited
145 King St. W, Suite 1500
Toronto, ON
MS4 4B7
tel: (416) 361-7511
fax: (416) 361-7782


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
-----------------------

Innu Nation
PO Box 119                              PO Box 13
Sheshatshiu, Labrador A0P 1M0           Davis Inlet,Labrador A0P 1A0
tel: (709) 497-8398 fax: (709) 497-8398 tel: (709) 478-8943 tax: (709) 478-8833

innumine@web.apc.org
http://www.web.net/~innu/