Take Out the Trash Week

My, what a strange thing to try and bury, late on a Thursday, the week before Christmas:

Environmental Assessment Bulletin

Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation, has announced the following event relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT:

Lower Churchill River Hydroelectric Generation Project (Reg. 1305)
Proponent: Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) and the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation (the Department) invite public comment on the draft guidelines for the preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Lower Churchill Hydroelectric Generation Project.

The draft guidelines identify the information that the proponent, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, will be required to address in order to prepare the EIS.

Written comments on the draft guidelines received by January 28, 2008, will be considered. Please forward your comments, in the official language of your choice, by mail or e-mail to:

Maryse Pineau
Panel Manager
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa ON K1A 0H3
Tel.: 613-948-1364
Fax: 613-957-0941
E-mail: maryse.pineau@ceaa-acee.gc.ca


Paul Carter
Chairperson, Environmental Assessment Division
Department of Environment and Conservation
4th Floor, West Block, Confederation Complex
PO Box 8700, St. John’s NL A1B 4J6
Tel.: 709-729-0188
Fax: 709-729-5518
Toll-free: 1-800-563-6181
E-mail: pcarter@gov.nl.ca

The draft EIS guidelines as well as information on the proposed project are available on the agency’s website at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca and the department’s website at www.gov.nl.ca/env. Copies of the draft EIS guidelines can also be obtained by contacting the above-mentioned persons.

The agency and the department are developing an agreement to guide a joint environmental assessment of the proposed project which would include procedures for appointing an independent review panel to conduct public hearings on the EIS, the proposed terms of reference for the joint review panel, and procedures for conducting the review process. The draft agreement will be made available for public comment at a later date.