Revised Final Environmental Study Report (24 MB) - Gold Canyon ...

Gold Canyon Resources Inc: Final Environmental Study Report Review
March 30, 2013
5 ESR and Technical Report Deficiencies
This review of the ESR is done so, with the intention of identifying study deficiencies and
gaps in the methodologies used to assess wildlife, eco-sites, archeological sites, soils and
terrain, vegetation, ground water, cumulative and socio-economic impacts, etc.
In general the ESR is lacking in technical detail to explain methodologies, data
interpretation, and statistical analysis of results. Review of the supporting Baseline
Technical Reports reveals a variety of study deficiencies in the areas of; study
methodology, types of studies performed, insufficient data collection, irrelevant data
presentation, statistical analysis and missing data.
Aside from overall study deficiency, the studies themselves were not conducted in
locations relevant to assess the socio-economic or environmental impacts of the
eastern corridor.
GCU did not adequately engage First Nation communities while conducting the
baseline study fieldwork and desktop analysis for; terrestrial, aquatic, hydrological,
meteorological, baseline studies. First Nation communities understand the land and
can contribute valued traditional knowledge. Hiring one or two First Nation
individuals does not constitute 1) proper engagement with First Nation
communities, and 2) utilizing traditional knowledge to ensure protection of the
environment and traditional land use, Aboriginal and Treaty rights.
Flawed baseline environmental studies imply that the ESR findings, which are based
on the environmental studies, are also flawed and incomplete.
Recommendation: GCU needs to conduct thorough environmental baseline studies in
conjunction with First Nation communities, and jointly engage with those communities
throughout the planning, hiring, implementation, analysis and report writing stages of all
studies.
5.1 Project Rationale
Within ESR section 1.3: Purpose and Justification for Project, GCU describes how the
Springpole Gold Project, not to be confused with the eastern corridor project, will benefit
the local economy. GCU makes statements that the Springpole Gold Project will lead to
increased jobs (>500), local manufacturing, increased tax revenue, etc.
This is all well and good, except for the fact that the economic assessment was not
completed and published online until March 25, 2013. Therefore the statements made
within the ESR, released March 2, 2013, regarding project economic benefit are unfounded.
Furthermore, the ESR submitted is for the eastern corridor, and not the Springpole gold
project: two very different things. Inclusion of information not directly related to the
eastern corridor, should be removed from this ESR, as it seeks to convince the reader that
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