In British Columbia (BC), Canada, there is increased attention on mines and their impacts on water resources. In BC, many proposed mines undergo provincial environmental assessment (EA), which predicts a mine’s risks and involves government oversight and public engagement. After approval, mines can apply for amendments that alter the project’s undertakings, including in ways that may harm water resources. We examined all amendment documents for mines undergoing provincial EA in BC from 2002 to 2020. Of the 23 approved mines, 15 (65%) requested a total of 49 amendments, of which 98% were approved. Most mines applied for their first amendment within 3 years of approval. We deemed 20 of the approved amendments (associated with 10 projects) likely to have negative impacts on water resources, including changes to effluent discharge, increased volume of water extraction, or degradation of fish habitat. Amendment applications and approval documents lacked specific, quantitative information to reinforce claims or decisions. We present the first known summary of EA amendments in any jurisdiction. Given that most mines in BC receive amendments, and many are related to water, we express concern that amendment processes increase risk to water resources without meeting standards of evidence and public scrutiny required by the regular EA process.

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The Elk Valley is home to five of the six largest mines in British Columbia, with ongoing plans for further expansion. These headwater coal mines have contributed to selenium pollution in the freshwater ecosystems of the transboundary Elk – Kootenai River watershed, evidenced in part by the $60 million fine imposed on Teck Resources Ltd. under Canada’s Fisheries Act in 2021 for the ‘deposit of deleterious substances’. Indigenous communities, including the Ktunaxa Nation, and various other organizations on both sides of the border, alongside governments in the United States, have been calling for higher standards of mining pollution control originating in Canada and for the International Joint Commission to make recommendations on this issue. Two agreements exist between the countries that may be relevant here, including the Boundary Waters Treaty (1909) and Columbia River Treaty (1964). In this article, these agreements describing the potential role of the International Joint Commission are analyzed, along with the outlining of the current process for this organization to make recommendations to resolve this ongoing, hot-button issue. The examples from case law and other international agreements pertaining to pollution are used to formulate a two-part conclusion in the form of (1) a short-term solution to effectively communicate and facilitate a resolution of transboundary mining pollution in the Elk – Kootenay River watershed; (2) a long-term solution to settle future disagreements regarding transboundary pollution between Canada and the United States

Renewable energy systems have been implemented globally to help lower carbon emissions; for example, pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) is a system that helps mitigate peak loads on electrical grids to reduce dependency on fossil fuel energy generation. As a form of energy storage, PHES involves using two water reservoirs at different elevations to generate electricity at times of peak demand. Integrating PHES near wind farms allows the required water-pumping electricity to be supplied by wind power, rather than fossil fuels. A spatial analysis was done using ArcGIS Pro to determine the most ideal sites for PHES within close proximity to wind farms in Nova Scotia. Five potential sites were identified, and map layouts were produced showing conceptual models of PHES at these locations throughout the province. Due to the topography of Nova Scotia, development of PHES is not feasible at many potential sites. Five suitable sites were ranked based on environmental and technoeconomic costs; the Barrachois Wind PHES hybrid project was ranked the highest, followed by the Digby, Ellershouse, Maryvale, and South Canoe wind energy sites. The study concluded that integrating PHES into wind farms in Nova Scotia would be a useful method for boosting electrical grid stability, and attaining emissions reductions targets throughout the province.