If the mining industry can be released from retroactive liability then other industries are going to be asking for the same treatment. While the industry does not want to face long term liability risks, it is certainly not right to transfer those risks to future taxpayers. Under the Mines Act there are no clear, consistent standards for site remediation. It leaves much to the discretion of changeable policy, regional mines officials and companies. The rights of public participation and appeal that are written into the Waste Management Act are not present in the Mines Act.
Public participation is discretionary, as are many of the provisions of the Mines Act.
Cutting off CSR means potentially losing participation rights. We feel that the problems of overlap that industry is concerned about could be just as easily be resolved through improved procedures and policy mechanisms. The Waste Management Act provides an essential back-up when things go wrong. A safety net is still very necessary. To develop a path forward which protects the environment and focuses on the particular needs and issues unique to minesites, the environmental groups put forward a number of recommendations.