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ThebestlittlenewspaperinCanadaMPlookstochangelawsonoilandgastransfersWesternArcticMPDennisBevingtonproposedabilllastweekthatseekstochangeleg-islationonoilandgasleasetransfers.Seepage2.ArtisttakesadvantageofwildNorthernofferingsSelf-taughtcraftswomanCha-rissaAlain-LillyofYellow-knifesaysthebountyofnat-uralmaterialsintheNorthiswhatdrivesher.Seepage15.AJourneyTowardUnityAboriginalyouthtrek1500kmtoOttawaforindigenousrights.Seepage10.TuesdayApril22013Vol.36No.47AnindependentnewspaperservingNorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince19772011nationalawardwinner-BestAll-RoundNewspaper1.00HayRiversPtubracescelebrate30yearsoffunSkiingenthusiastsfromthroughouttheNWTwillbecelebratingthe30thanniver-saryoftheclassicPtubracesthisweekend.Seepages8-9.SuncorpipelineleakswastewaterintoriverApipelinebreachatSun-corsoilsandsfacilitiesleaked2200barrelsofcontaminatedwaterintotheAthabascaRiverlastMonday.Seepage3.--1.00Visitwww.norj.caGiantMinecleanupcostsnearly1billionEnvironmentalistsconcernedwithremediationplanByMEAGANWOHLBERGNewdocumentsobtainedthroughanaccesstoinfor-mationrequestshowreme-diationcostsfortheGiantMinenearYellowknifewilltotalclosetoabilliondollars-doubletheinitialestimate.ThoughtherevisedcostestimateswereknownbythefederalgovernmentinMarch2012-sixmonthspriortotheenvironmentalassessmenthearingsonthecleanup-thatnumberwaskeptunderwrapsdespiterequestsforanupdatedcostestimatethroughoutlastsummer.TheinformationwasbroughttolightbyKevinOReillyoftheenvironmen-talgroupAlternativesNorthwhosaidthelackoftrans-parencyonthecoststhrowsupredagsaroundtheabil-ityofthefederaldepart-mentofAboriginalAffairsWhatthiscomesdowntoreallyisanissueoftrustandworkingtogetherandentirehumanpopulation-frozenforeveriscurrentlyinthenalstagesoftheen-vironmentalreviewprocess.OReillysaidAlternativesNorthcontinuestohaveout-standingconcernsregardingAANDCsplanwithrespecttowatertreatmentandpo-tentialimpactsonwildlifeinYellowknifeBay.InFebruarytheMack-enzieValleyEnvironmen-talImpactReviewBoardrequestedAANDCcomeupwithmoredetailsonwatertreatmentbeyonditsinitialgoalofkeepingarse-niclevelsintreatedwateratmaximumlevelsof100mi-crogramslitre.LastmonthAANDCreturnedwithanewerproposalidentifyingnewtechnologiesincludingreverseosmosisthatcouldbeusedtoreducearseniclevelsbyupto10times.OReillywonderswhythiswasntincludedinthegovernmentsoriginalplanaddingthatitcastsdoubtsonthedepartmentsactualpreparednessfordealingwiththetoxicsite.Wejustfounditratherremarkablethatatthisverylatedateallofasuddenanewoptiongetsdroppedoutofthesky.Wequestionwhythiswasntlookedatoverthelast10yearsasatreatmentoption.WasitaquestionofcostWasitaquestionofnotdoinghomeworkWejustdontknow.Soitdoesleadtosomequestionsabouttherobustnessoradequacyofthedesignworktodatehesaid.SeeAlternativesonpage2.Whatthiscomesdowntoreallyisanissueoftrustandworkingtogetherandthathasjustneverhappenedwiththisminesite.KevinOReillyAlternativesNorthandNorthernDevelopmentAANDCtoproperlyman-agethemassiveeternalre-mediationprocess.Thecostdiscrepancyraisessomeissuesperhapsaroundtransparencyandac-countabilityOReillytoldTheJournal.thathasjustneverhappenedwiththisminesite.AANDCwasunavailableforcommentasofpresstime.Thecleanupplanwhichproposeskeepingover200000tonnesofarsenictrioxideduststoredbelowthemine-enoughtokilltheLong-timeYellowkniferesidentKevinOReillyactingaspartofthenon-protgroupAlternativesNorthiscriticaloftheGiantMineremediationprojectthatisattemptingtodealwiththemassivestockpileoftoxicwastearsenic.Hehasblownthewhistleonanapparentgovernmentcover-upofthehugeprojectcosts.PhotoDonJaque