🚀 go-pugleaf

INCO ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE 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 and airstrip at Emish
(Voisey's Bay) this summer-despite the fact that the entire Voisey's Bay
mining project is currently the subject of an ongoing public environmental
assessment under an agreement between Canada, Newfoundland, the Labrador
Inuit Association and the Innu Nation.

The Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association fought earlier attempts
by the company to proceed with construction at the site, and successfully
negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Canada and
Newfoundland which was intended to ensure a single, comprehensive
environmental review of the Voisey's Bay Project. The MOU provides for a
more rigourous examination of the issues associated with this project than
would be the case under Canada or Newfoundland's EA legislation, and
defines a more appropriate and accessible process for Innu and Inuit
participation in the examination of the full scope of environmental,
cultural and social effects which may result from the large large nickel
mine that is being proposed on Innu and Inuit land.

Despite the fact that the assessment process is well underway, and that
last fall, the company itself agreed that the entire project-including the
infrastructure-should be subject to a comprehensive environmental review,
Voisey's Bay Nickel has now submitted a separate registration for the
infrastructure under the provincial environmental assessment process on 21
May 1997. They have reversed their deci arguing that their proposed
infrastructure was not contemplated or included in the mine/mill project
that was submitted under the current environmental assessment process
being conducted under the MOU. According to the company, this new
infrastructure proposal is merely intended to support advanced exploration
activities by providing improved access to the site. However, the proposed
road and airstrip are to be located in the same locations and are only
slightly smaller than the permanent road and airstrip being assessed under
the MOU!

The Innu Nation believes that Voisey's Bay Nickel is once again attempting
to undermine the environmental assessment process and the work of the
Environmental Review Panel under the MOU in order to accelerate the
development of the mine and meet their ambitious production objectives.
Innu objectives, which include the settlement of a land rights agreement
with government, the conclusion of an impact-benefits agreement with the
company, and the completion of a comprehensive environmental assessment of
the environmental and social impacts of the project are being undermined
by Inco's desire for quick profits.

The purpose of an environmental assessment is to predict and evaluate the
impacts of a project before irreversible decisions are made, and use this
information to make appropriate, informed choices in project planning.
Roads and airstrips are irreversible decisions with real impacts. The Innu
Nation believes that the entire project must be assessed as a whole. The
effects of individual parts of the project, like the road and the
airstrip, can only be appreciated and understood in the context of the
mine they are intended to serve.

The company's piecemeal approach to project development not only
undermines the MOU process, which was intended to review and assess the
project as a whole, but it makes sense from a planning perspective.
Proceeding with infrastructure development prior to the completion of the
environmental assessment makes would make it nearly impossible for the
Panel to make responsible recommendations about how the project should be
planned in order to minimize the effect that it will have on the
environment as much of the infrastructure will already be in place!  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.

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

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

Submit public comments on the 21 May 1997 registration of "Exploration
Support Works"filed by Voisey's Bay Nickel under the Newfoundland
Environmental Assessment Act. Call for a rejection of the registration on
the basis that it accepting it would violate the terms and conditions of
Newfoundland's participation in the MOU, which requires a single,
comprehensive assessment of the entire project-including the road and
airstrip described in the May 1997 Registration.

To be formally considered, your comments must be submitted to the
Newfoundland Minister of the Environment, Kevin Aylward, no later NO LATER
than 21 June 1997. Comments may be sent by fax.

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

Dr. Steward Gendron
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
Sheshatshiu, Labrador A0P 1M0
tel: (709) 497-8398 fax: (709) 497-8396
internet: innumine@web.apc.org

PO Box 13
Davis Inlet, Labrador A0P 1A0
tel: (709) 478-8943 fax: (709) 478-8833
www: http://www.web.net/~innu/

Larry Innes                              Visit the Innu Nation WWW site:
Environmental Advisor                    http://www.web.net/~innu/
Innu Nation
P.O. Box 119, Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Canada A0P 1M0
phone: (709) 497-8398     email: innuenv@web.net     fax: (709) 497-8396