TASEKO MINES LIMITED PROSPERITY GOLD-COPPER PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/APPLICATION VOLUME INDEX VOLUME ONE SUMMARY REPORT PROJECT PLANNING & ALTERNATIVES ASSESSMENT The Proponent VOLUME TWO Regulatory Context Information Distribution and Consultation Assessment of Alternatives Environmental Assessment Methods Permits, Licenses and Approvals PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF PROJECT Project Setting and Land Use Context VOLUME THREE Geology including ARD/ML Mine Plan Fisheries Compensation Plan Environmental Management Program Commitments PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT VOLUME FOUR Atmospheric Environment Acoustic Environment Surface Water Hydrology/Hydrogeology BIOTIC ENVIRONMENT Water Quality and Aquatic Ecology VOLUME FIVE Fish and Fish Habitat Terrain and Soils Vegetation Wildlife SOCIO-ECONOMICS, HUMAN HEALTH & ECOLOGICAL RISK Economic Issues Social Issues VOLUME SIX Community and Health Services Effects on Resource Uses Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment Navigable Waters VOLUME SEVEN ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HERITAGE RESOURCES VOLUME EIGHT FIRST NATIONS VOLUME NINE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT TO CEAA Accidents Malfunctions and Unplanned Events Effects of the Environment on the Project Capacity of Renewable Resources TASEKO PROSPERITY GOLD-COPPER PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/APPLICATION VOLUME 8: FIRST NATIONS March 2009 Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction and Summary .......................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Summary .......................................................................................................................... 1-3 2 First Nations ................................................................................................................... 2-5 2.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 2-5 2.1.1 Environmental Assessment History for the Prosperity Project............................ 2-5 2.1.2 Taseko Mines Activities in the Region ................................................................ 2-7 2.1.3 Regional Study Area for Consideration of First Nations Issues .......................... 2-8 2.2 First Nations History in the Area ................................................................................... 2-11 2.2.1 Overview of Historical First Nation’s Reserves and Traditional Governments located within the RSA................................................................ 2-11 2.2.2 Resources Development History in the Regional Study Area ........................... 2-16 2.2.3 BC Treaty Process and Rights and Title Claims ................................................ 2-20 2.3 Overview of Existing Conditions by First Nation ......................................................... 2-25 2.3.1 Tsilhqot’in .......................................................................................................... 2-25 2.3.2 Secwepemc ........................................................................................................ 2-32 2.4 Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Land Use ........................................................ 2-38 2.4.1 Introduction to Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Land Use ................... 2-38 2.4.2 Methodology ...................................................................................................... 2-39 2.4.3 Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Land Use for the Tsilhqot’in People .. 2-41 2.4.4 Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Land Use for the Northern Secwepemc ........................................................................................................ 2-53 2.4.5 Traditional Knowledge and Land Use in the Effects Assessment and Project Design .................................................................................................... 2-60 2.5 Taseko’s Engagement and Consultation ........................................................................ 2-66 2.5.1 Engagement and Consultation Core Values ...................................................... 2-67 2.5.2 Engagement and Consultation Objectives ......................................................... 2-67 2.5.3 First Nations Agreements .................................................................................. 2-67 2.5.4 Overview of Prosperity’s First Nation Engagement and Consultation Activities ............................................................................................................ 2-68 2.6 Identified First Nations Issues and Concerns ................................................................. 2-75 2.6.1 Key Issues: Relationship to Aboriginal Rights .................................................. 2-75 2.6.2 Project Effects and Mitigation ........................................................................... 2-77 2.7 Community Interest and Benefits ................................................................................ 2-101 2.7.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 2-101 2.7.2 Taseko Mines Overarching Commitments to the People in Local and Regional Study Area ........................................................................................ 2-101 2.7.3 Taseko Commitments to Local First Nations Individuals and Communities for Opportunity and Benefit ............................................................................. 2-103 2.7.4 Taseko’s Long-term First Nation Engagement and Consultation Strategy ..... 2-106 3 References ....................................................................................................................... 3-1 4 Appendices ...................................................................................................................... 4-1 March 2009 Environmental Impact Statement/Application Taseko Mines Limited Volume 8 Page i Prosperity Gold-Copper Project Table of Contents List of Tables Table 2-1 Taseko’s Five Main Project Elements within assumed Traditional Territories . 2-10 Table 2-2 Tsilhqot’in Residential Groups and Seasonal Movements (Tsilhqot’in Nation vs. British Columbia Appendix 3 [Government of British Columbia 2007a]; Alexander 1997)................................................................... 2-43 Table 2-3 Seasonal Subsistence Rounds of the Shuswap (Secwepemc 2008; Alexander 1997; Wolf and Matthew 1996; Jack et al. 1993) ............................ 2-54 Table 2-4 Summary of Key Environmental Concerns by First Nations: Wildlife ............. 2-78 Table 2-5 Summary of Key Environmental Concerns by First Nations: Fish and Fish Habitat ........................................................................................................ 2-80 Table 2-6 Summary of Key Environmental Concerns by First Nations: Water Contamination ......................................................................................... 2-82 Table 2-7 Summary of Key Environmental Concerns by First Nations: Air and Dust Contamination ........................................................................................... 2-84 Table 2-8 Summary of Key Environmental Concerns by First Nations: Other Hazards and Nuisance Effects ........................................................................... 2-86 Table 2-9 Summary of Key Environmental Concerns by First Nations: Increased Access ................................................................................................................ 2-88 Table 2-10 Summary of Key Environmental Concerns by First Nations: Post closure and Reclamation .................................................................................... 2-90 Table 2-11 Summary of Key Socio-economic Concerns by First Nations: Archaeological and Heritage Resources ............................................................ 2-92 Table 2-12 Summary of Key Socio-economic Concerns by First Nations: Socio-economic.................................................................................................. 2-94 Table 2-13 Summary of Key Socio-economic Concerns by First Nations: Financial ......... 2-96 Table 2-14 Summary of Key Regulatory Issues Concerns by First Nations: EA Process ... 2-98 Table 2-15 Summary of Key Socio-economic Concerns by First Nations: Consultation .. 2-100 List of Figures Figure 2-1 Proposed Prosperity Gold-Copper Project Mine Site and Offsite Infrastructure in Relation to First Nations Traditional Territories, Rights and Title Area and Communities—Regional Context ......................................... 2-6 Figure 2-2 Tsilhqot’in Territory Circa 1850AD with Current Reserves ............................. 2-12 Figure 2-3 Band Locations of the Secwepemc in 1909 ....................................................... 2-15 Figure 2-4 Aboriginal Title and Rights Areas—Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia, 2007 BCSC 1700.............................................................................. 2-24 Figure 2-5 Tsilhqot’in Place Names in the Regional Study Area ....................................... 2-45 Figure 2-6 Photograph of the Settlement at Little Fish Lake .............................................. 2-47 March 2009 Environmental Impact Statement/Application Taseko Mines Limited Volume 8 Page ii Prosperity Gold-Copper Project Acronyms and Abbreviations Acronyms and Abbreviations