Do NOT allow Cochrane Hill Project to proceed

My name is Madeline Conacher and I live on the north shore of NS near Tatamagouche. I am submitting a comment because I am very concerned about the plight of the environment in NS and the seeming lack of concern by the NS government. I have read alot about gold mining and we need to stop this kind of development in NS immediately.

My concerns 

- The Cochrane Hill project is part of larger project - 4 gold mines in the Sherbrook area.They are all connected and any assessment should take in the impact of all four projects.

- Atlantic Golds past record  - AG has been charged with numerous environmental conditions.  These past infractions show that AG can not be trusted to meet future environmental conditions so the project should not be approved 

- Past promises - the predecessor to AG promised to procure by 2012 a 256 conservation area to compensate for past envir. destruction. This has not happened. On their past record of not meeting commitments - they should not be approved for Cochrane Hill.

- Royalties - AG has provided very little $ in tax royalties to NS government - it proves that it is not a a good business descision for NS all the profits & benefits go the gold mining company  and NS is left with any possible environmental cleanup

- Tailings and waste need to be cared for - for ever - what proof has AG provided tha they will be there for future generations when accidents happen.Just look to Mount Polley in BC where the tax payers were left with a $50 million dollar cleanup. How long will AG be around to clean up any messes ?

- NS has environmental issues from past gold mining - there are over 60 sites that need to be cleaned up and paid for by NS Tax payers Cleaning up one site alone (Montague Gold Mine) is projected to coast NS $48 million.

For these reasons alone, I humbly submit that the proposal from Atlantic Gold for Cochrane Hill  does not pass  the environmental assessment and it does not provide to NS any real benefits. 

Please do the right thing and do  not  allow this project to proceed.  Thank you. 

Madeline Conacher
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