Michael McPhie has worked in the mining industry on the side of advocating for environmental policy that would include the input of indigenous people, some who are most affected by mining activities. Michael McPhie is a co-founder of Falkirk Environmental Consultants, Ltd., a venture that focuses on mining and mineral exploration with an emphasis on permitting and regulatory affairs.
Those in the industry have more support in the way of legislation in protecting the environment while allowing for mining and exploration in Canada. In May 2019, Canadian lawmakers established the BC Mining Reform Law, which more closely regulates mining activities in the area.
The law takes into account all of the stakeholders involved with the industry. In fact, the law establishes a protocol for getting permission (through United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous People clause) from indigenous people, and more importantly, it requires that environmental assessments are completed upon request of indigenous people.
The law establishes setting up an independent compliance and enforcement unit whose sole purpose is to protect the environment. This group would be charged with fining (cumulative) repeat offenders and would be responsible for making public all mining environmental data and all written decisions for approvals and denials of mining activities and also allowing for citizen suit for environmental violations.
The law also makes provisions for making polluters responsible for activities. The law uses the “polluter pays” principle and requires that mining companies have insurance for unplanned events and provide for clean-up and reclamation. When there is an accident, the law provides for an independent claims process to settle disputes over third-party compensation for pollution events.
Those in the industry have more support in the way of legislation in protecting the environment while allowing for mining and exploration in Canada. In May 2019, Canadian lawmakers established the BC Mining Reform Law, which more closely regulates mining activities in the area.
The law takes into account all of the stakeholders involved with the industry. In fact, the law establishes a protocol for getting permission (through United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous People clause) from indigenous people, and more importantly, it requires that environmental assessments are completed upon request of indigenous people.
The law establishes setting up an independent compliance and enforcement unit whose sole purpose is to protect the environment. This group would be charged with fining (cumulative) repeat offenders and would be responsible for making public all mining environmental data and all written decisions for approvals and denials of mining activities and also allowing for citizen suit for environmental violations.
The law also makes provisions for making polluters responsible for activities. The law uses the “polluter pays” principle and requires that mining companies have insurance for unplanned events and provide for clean-up and reclamation. When there is an accident, the law provides for an independent claims process to settle disputes over third-party compensation for pollution events.
