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

Gold Canyon Resources Inc: Final Environmental Study Report Review
March 30, 2013
Recommendation: The OMNR needs to investigate the safety of the Wenasaga road, and
determine the large truck allowance for the seasonal corridor.
5.2.1 Study Area Dimensions
The below terminology is used throughout the GCU ESR and Technical Reports to describe
the areas in which field work or desk-top surveys were conducted. For each Technical
Report, and depending on what was being assessed, study area dimensions differ. Despite
the fact that there are varied study areas, the same terminology is used throughout all ESR
documents to describe these areas.
The maps provided by GCU to depict where the study areas are located are of poor quality
and have low resolution, limiting ones ability to actually read any land base descriptions.
Study Area Terminology Used:
Regional study area
Local study area
Study site
Springpole study area - general
Throughout the ESR and Technical Reports there is one reference to the actual amount of
land surveyed for wildlife: It was stated that 81 km 2 was surveyed during the aerial wildlife
fieldwork study (Draft Springpole Terrestrial Baseline Report 2011
What is not discussed are the specific land quantums for any of the above listed “study
areas”, nor rationale to justify/explain the why the area and amount of land was selected.
In most cases, the field study work was conducted in overlapping locations within 1km of
the primary Springpole camp site, a location which the drills operate 24 hours a day.
After review of the study areas used by GCU, it appears as though only small local
study areas were selected from within the Springpole study area in order to dilute
the impact of potential findings to make them appear insignificant.
Furthermore, the location of all the local study areas used to for the baseline studies,
are located nowhere near the intended corridor.
Recommendation: GCU needs to explicitly define each study area used within all baseline
technical reports for which fieldwork and desktop analysis was conducted in, and indicate
within the ESR where exactly the baseline studies were conducted in relation to the eastern
corridor.
Recommendation: GCU needs to conduct a Class D Environmental Assessment specific for
the eastern corridor.
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