LETTER — Steps in the Ajax application process

LETTER — The April 14 article contains some misinformation about the Environmental Assessment process. At the Community Advisory Group meeting on April 9, the EAO spent a lot of time explaining the upcoming steps in the process. I have copied the process below . Here is clarification to the misinformation in the article:

*The EAO expects the Application to be submitted from 2 to 5 months from now (Step #2), not “within a few weeks”. It is the Application Information Requirements (Step #1) which is expected within a few weeks.

*Step #3, the 30 day evaluation of the Application, includes the Technical Working Group on which the City of Kamloops has a representative. This is when the City representative has input.

*Step #4, the 180 day Application Review has a 75 day Public Comment Period which could start as soon as 7 days after the Application is posted. This is the place where Coun. Cavers should be lobbying for a longer length of time, giving the public more time to review the 20,000 pages of Application before the Public Comment Period begins.

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What are the Next Steps in the Environmental Assessment?

1. KGHM-Ajax is finalizing the Application Information Requirements, which will then be forwarded to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) for sign-off.

2. KGHM-Ajax submits the Application to the EAO & CEAA. This is expected 2 to 5 months from now.

3. 30- day evaluation of the Application by the EAO & CEAA, the Technical Working Group, and First Nations. These groups determine if the Application is complete, and if not, stipulate what changes must be made. The EAO says that there are always many changes that the proponent has to make, because the initial Application never is fully acceptable.

4. 180- day Application Review. This will be announced publicly and the Application posted online. Approximately seven days later the Public Comment Period begins running for 75 days . Once the Public Comment Period has ended, the EAO and CEAA prepare their reports and conditions and send them to the three ministers for review – Leona Aglukkaq (Federal Minister of the Environment), Mary Polak (BC Minister of the Environment), and Bill Bennett (BC Minister of Energy and Mines).

5. 45- day period for Ministers’ Decision. This must be unanimous and the decision must be backed up with comments from the ministers.

ANNE NEAVE