As the Giant Mine Remediation project gears up for summer work, some disturbances are coming that will affect nearby residents.
Later this month, the Giant Mine Remediation Project team will begin its summer work, which includes deconstructing the townsite that used to house workers, according to the team’s May 2 newsletter.
While this work is underway throughout the summer, “traffic and heavy truck presence will increase on roads and highways surrounding the Giant Mine site,” the newsletter advises. This includes the area around the public boat launch site, and users are advised to exercise special caution when driving in this area.
The team also warns that dust may become an issue on windy days.
“While the project team actively works to reduce dust from the site and protect the nearby communities, these measures cannot completely stop dust on very windy days,” the newsletter reads.
Several mitigation measures will be put in place, including applying water to potential sources of dust and pausing or scaling down work on especially windy days.
In order to discourage migratory birds from nesting in the worksite, the team will also deploy propane noise cannons, which will sound every 30 minutes from April until at least August.
Main construction manager gets modified contract
The newsletter also announced that the project’s main construction manager, Parsons Inc., received modifications to its contract, giving it much broader financial flexibility. These changes include an increase in the limit of sole-source contracts, from $25,000 to $100,000; an increase in the limit for invitational tenders, from $99,999 to $1 million; and an increase in the limit for open tenders, from $100,000 to more than $1 million.
It was not immediately clear what prompted this modification in the contract, although the newsletter says the changes will “give Parsons increased flexibility in procuring work packages and will support Canada’s mandate to increase Indigenous participation in government contracts.”
A spokesperson for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Giant Mine Remediation Project team acknowledged a similar request but was unable to respond to questions in time for publication deadline.