Environmental groups are encouraged that last month's Federal Court ruling ordering the federal government to collect and publish data on one of Canada’s largest sources of pollution will be allowed to stand. The decision relates to toxic materials such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and cyanide, that are disposed into tailings ponds and waste rock dumps by the mining industry.

"Given the government's tendency to appeal even the most common-sense judgments on the grounds of seeking more clarity, or maybe just delaying the inevitable, I'm pleased they're going to let this stand," said Jamie Kneen, spokesman for MiningWatch Canada. MiningWatch and Great Lakes United were represented by Ecojustice in the case, which was initially filed in 2007. The deadline for filing an appeal against the April 23 ruling was Saturday.

"We are looking forward to working with Environment Canada and the mining industry on how to get this decision implemented as soon as possible," added Kneen. "Canadians have been trying for years to find out what kind of toxic legacy is being stored on mine sites across the country."

See Court Victory Forces Canada to Report Pollution Data for Mines for more information and the text of the Federal Court judgment