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8TuesdayApril92013867-872-3000orvisit207McDougalRoadinFortSmithNT.PrinterInkYellowknivescasetoprotectDrybonesBayenterscourtsPoliticsFirstNationsByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheYellowknivesDeneFirstNationYKDFNisaskingthecourtstooverturna2012reviewboarddecisionthatclaimedexplorationontheculturallyandenvironmentallysensitiveDrybonesBayterritoryposednosignicantthreattotheen-vironmentorcauseforpublicconcern.AjudgeheardtherequestforjudicialreviewlaunchedinFebruary2012forthersttimelastweekinYellowknife.TheMackenzieValleyEn-vironmentalImpactReviewBoardruledinJanuaryoflastyearthataproposalbyAlexDebogorskitodoexploratorydrillingfordiamondsintheareaonthenorthshoreofGreatSlaveLakedidnotwar-rantmitigativeconditionsandcouldgoaheadwithoutbind-ingrecommendations.TheFirstNationwhichhasopposedalleightapplicationstodoexploratoryworkintheareaoverthelasttwodecadesisnowseekingacourtrulingthatwillputDrybonesBayunderpermanentprotectionfromdevelopment.TheYKDFNisaskingfortwothingsspokesper-sonShannonGaultsaid.Wewouldlikethecourttoconsiderwhetherornottherewasade-quateconsultationonthelebeforethedecisionwasmadeandtherecommendationswerepassedontotheminister.AndthesecondrulingthatYKDFNisseekingiswerelookingforconsistencywithapastrulingoftheboard.Ina2003-2004decisionapprovingexplorationinthebaythereviewboardrecom-mendedthatalanduseplanbecompletedfortheDrybonesBayareaincludingprovi-sionsforprotectingsensitiveenvironmentalculturalandspiritualsites.Theboardaskedthelanduseplantobedonewithinveyearsbutithasyettobecompleted.Sothefactthatthatdeci-sionwasmadeinthepastandthesamekindofconsiderationwasntreectedinthismorere-centrulingforagainthesameDrybonesBayareageographi-callyspeakingYKDFNwouldliketheCrowntoconsidermakingarulingthatwouldrequirelanduseplanningfortheareaandultimatelyprotectitagainstfuturedevelopmentGaultsaid.TheFirstNationisnostranger-oropponent-tode-velopmentonitslandGaultsaid.Allthreeoperatingdi-amondminesintheNorth-westTerritoriesarelocatedonYKDFNsassertedtraditionallandsknownasChiefDrygeeseterritorywhichstretcheseastofYellowknifehalfwaytotheendoftheEastArmofGreatSlaveLakeandnorthtotheNunavutborder.DeBeersGahchoKuedi-amondminewhichjustcom-pletedtheenvironmentalas-sessmentEAprocessaswellasAvalonsproposedNecha-lachorareearthmetalsminearealsoinYKDFNterritory.ButwhenitcomestoDry-bonesBayacherishedareafortraditionallanduseactivitiesandthehomeofarchaeologicalandsacredsiteslikecemeteriestheFirstNationisntbudging.Fortherestofourterritorywewillengagewithyouandwewantresponsibledevelop-mentfortheDrybonesBayareaitsanogoGaultsaid.Previousexploratoryworkhashadnegativeimpactsonthebayalreadyshesaidtheeffectsofwhichhaveyettobedealtwithsuchasaforestrethatdestroyedacemeteryandcosttaxpayers330000in2007followedbyafueltankerthatwentofftheroadin2008.Fiveyearslaterthattruckremainspartiallysubmergedinthebay.WhiletheterritorialgovernmentclaimsmovingthetruckwouldcausemoreenvironmentaldamagethanleavingitinplaceGaultsaidthesightdoeslittletoinstilltrustintheFirstNationsmembershipwhenitcomestodevelopment.YKDFNcanappreciateitmaybebetterfortheecosys-tembutthecompanyandthegovernmenthasntdoneany-thingtosatisfytheconcernsofthepeoplewhostillgooutintheirshingboatsthereandseethehalf-submergedtruckshesaid.Gaultsaidarecommendationforapprovalbythereviewboardthatcontainedcertaincondi-tionsforthedeveloperwouldhavebeenbetterreceivedthansayingtherewasnosignicantimpactatall.Giventherealityoflim-itedcapacitytodealwithallthepushingpaperthatspartoftheseEAswedoourbesttoengageandweproviderecom-mendationsandmakesugges-tionsofwhatwedliketoseethesetypesofrulingsincludeanditsouropinionthatthoserecommendationsandthatinputwasgenerallyignoredbythereviewboardinthisrecom-mendationshesaid.DrybonesBayTheYellowknivesDeneFirstNationisrequestingamoratoriumonexplorationintheDrybonesBayareawhichcontainsarchaelogicalandotherculturallysignicantsites.