Gold, Copper, and Sasquatch

Despite some criticism, environmentalists are finally starting to take Sasquatch into consideration.  Recently in the Prince George, British Columbia area, concerns have been heard relative to the environmental impact of the proposed New Prosperity gold and copper mine.  The study is a proposal by Taseko Mines to construct an open-pit facility about 125 km south of Williams Lake.  

Taseko has a lovely video outlining the plan to preserve the surroundings, specifically Fish Lake.

In it's August 27, 2013 closing statement to the Canadian EPA, Taseko addresses specific concerns about many elements of the local are.  Protection of Grizzly Bears, salmon, and Aboriginal Rights receive specific response in this statement.  Sadly, the response given the Aboriginals is at best disrespectful.  Read the document with a great deal of patience.  It should be noted that while the newspaper report touts a discussion of Sasquatch, this document does not.  Is this because the mine company disbelieves in the possibility of Bigfoot?

Member of First Nations communities brought the topic of Sasquatch to the discussion several times. When Former Esdilagh chief Thomas Billyboy said  he noticed noticed not only grizzly bears leaving the Cariboo but that  sasquatches have been leaving, too.  Angelina Stump told the panel that her people's oral history includes a time when animals, including sasquatches,  spoke directly with people.  Other references were also made, but the general rebuttal was that these claims were either ridiculous or proposed for political purposes.

One opinion piece of the subject suggests that sasquatch is a myth.  The author further suggests that
 

 The logic is simple. With no proof that the Sasquatch doesn't exist, it is therefore possible that it might exist and we just haven't proved its existence yet. The faulty logic is easily exposed with another example - we also haven't found one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eaters, either.

One thing most reports and articles don't mention is that there is precedence.  In the US, the state of Washington, Sasquatch is protected. The US Fish and Wildlife Service lists Bigfoot as an endangered species.  Most North American agencies have prohibitions against killing species that are as yet undefined.  Specifically, in Lake Champlain, Champy is now protected by law on both sides of the lake.  In the early 1980s Port Henry, NY, the State of Vermont, and the New York State Assembly and Senate passed resolutions protecting the "mythological" beast. 

While one side proposes that "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" a la Carl Sagan  the other side calls this false logic. They have misinterpreted the meaning to be that the 'absence of evidence might still be proof of existence" and therefore discard the whole idea.  In the case of Sasquatch et al, I would suggest that the absence of evidence might be evidence of a need for better research and open-mindedness--especially when proposed against a blatant earth scarring project.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/article/20130821/PRINCEGEORGE0101/308219991/-1/PRINCEGEORGE/sasquatch-cited-in-mine-hearingshttp://www.newprosperityproject.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Taseko-Mines-Closing-Statement-for-CEAA-New-Prosperity-Copper-Gold-Hearings-August-23-2013.pdfhttp://doubtfulnews.com/2013/08/sasquatch-keeper-of-the-forest-invoked-at-environmental-hearing/http://www.omg-facts.com/Celebs/It-Is-Illegal-To-Kill-A-Sasquatch/30312http://behindtheberezina.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/fish-and-wildlife-add-sasquatch-to-endangered-species/http://www.lakechamplainregion.com/recreation/heritage/champhttp://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan
http://www.mining.com/copper-gold-project-in-bc-interior-has-795-million-capex/
http://wildernesscommittee.org/sven/new_copper_and_coal_mine_rush_british_columbia