we got this coveredThe Vancouver Sun reports in its Thursday edition that the B.C. government has introduced regulatory changes designed to strengthen the safety of mine-waste storage facilities and their earth-and-rock dams, a response to the catastrophic failure of the Mount Polley mine dam two years ago. The Sun's Gordon Hoekstra writes that the changes address 20 of 26 recommendations from a government-appointed engineering panel and the office of chief inspector of mines. The changes set factors of safety and limits to the steepness of dam slopes. Other changes require that all mines must put in place an independent review panel of engineers, who must be approved by the chief inspector of mines. New mines must also provide an alternative assessment of the best available technology in their provincial applications