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Review New Prosperity plan for yourself

Editor: In response to the letter “New Prosperity proposal sounds worse,” Thursday, Sept. 15 Tribune, it is important to consider some key facts that give a much more accurate picture of the project currently before the federal and provincial governments.

Editor:

In response to the letter “New Prosperity proposal sounds worse,” Thursday, Sept. 15 Tribune, it is important to consider some key facts that give a much more accurate picture of the project currently before the federal and provincial governments.

Any conversation about the process of a project review by government must also consider the extensive research and analysis that first goes into a project submission. In the case of New Prosperity, these preparations have spanned nearly two decades and include more than $100 million in scientific research, analysis, project feasibility and environmental assessment.

Last year, when Taseko was invited by the federal government to submit a revised plan for New Prosperity, we responded by addressing specific concerns raised during the original review process and then incorporated solutions to those concerns into our new plan.

Notable among these solutions is the preservation of Fish Lake at an additional cost of more than $300 million in capital and operating costs.

We encourage fact-based conversation about the New Prosperity gold-copper project.

Too many important benefits for the local community, and the nation, stand to be gained from New Prosperity to allow the debate to be influenced by conjecture and speculation.

Nearly 2,000 new jobs await the project’s approval.

In addition, New Prosperity’s combined stimulus to the regional, provincial and national economies includes more than $4.5 billion in cumulative GDP over the course of its operation and more than $5 billion in government revenues.

These statistics translate into real-life benefits for people.

To stimulate informed conversation, the complete project description as submitted to the federal government, is available for public review and discussion.

Taseko is confident that the undeniable benefits of New Prosperity, as well as our responsible measures for impact mitigation, speak for themselves.

Review the New Prosperity gold-copper project description for yourself and join the discussion at  www.newprosperityproject.ca.

Brian Battison

vice president of corporate affairs

Taseko Mines Ltd.